When Kingdom Come, There Will Be One
by ShaiShizuka8
Summary: Naofumi didn't know what to expect when he woke up in Melromarc. He'd expected an adventure. What he got was a betrayal. Now an outcast, Naofumi roams the land in hopes of getting stronger and try to live a somewhat decent life. Along the way, he meets new people who join him for they each have a reason to go on a journey. Then they learn something. The Gods have awakened.
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone.**

**This idea came to me after watching six episodes of the anime and I knew I had to write it down. I know the anime might be slightly different than the light novel and manga. Keeping that in mind, this story is an AU, meaning some things are going to change. Naofumi is still in Melromarc and is still the Shield Hero. Other things will change, however.**

**Also, since I've only watched six episodes so far and haven't read the manga (which I will eventually), I will be posting as much as I can until I get caught up with the manga, light novel, and anime.**

**Feel free to leave comments and tell me what you think. Give me your honest opinion, I'm open to anything. Hope you enjoy the prologue and the chapters to come!**

* * *

There lives a land where there is beauty and corruption.

At first glance, the beauty of it is enough to take your breath away. From the flatlands with farm animals roaming the grassy terrain to the raged mountains cutting the sky, there is beauty. One might even want to live there. After all, who wouldn't want to live in a land where such beauty exists.

However, there is corruption in that land. A corruption that is deep within the soil. It slowly rises up until it starts to affect the people. Friends turning against each other, a swindler conning a poor farmer out of half of his savings, and those high in power choosing to make others miserable just because.

Such a land is beautiful yet corrupted. A tainted beauty, if you will.

Of course, the corruption is metaphorical. There really isn't any type of darkness living in the soil and infecting the populous. But it makes it sound much more interesting, wouldn't you say?

There is truth to the land being tainted.

And soon, that tainted beauty will cease to exist.

All sounds lost.

That is until one person decided enough was enough.

He is… an important person. How important? Important enough to ask the Gods for wisdom.

This man was in a cave somewhere. Somewhere that only a few people can get to. Important people, like him.

The cave was cold, draining away any heat that might have entered through the opening. Not that the man minded. He loved the cold. It reminds him of the winters he spent with his mother as a young boy. A precious memory he clings to so as to not forget the happiness he once felt.

In the cave, the man traveled deeper and deeper until he reached the end. Upon nearing the end, the moss clinging to the cave began to glow, basking the cave in an ethereal glow of blue. At the end of the cave was a puddle. Not shallow but not deep. Just the right size.

The man kneeled down and dipped his hands into the water up to his wrists. The coldness bit at him, but he didn't let that bother him.

This was how he communicated to the Gods. Only this puddle allows him to see the message of the Gods.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the man began to speak in the Old Language.

"Gods, I asketh thee for thy help. The times art changing and danger is looming. Prithee, lendeth me thy wisdom. Alloweth thy flames guideth me to the right answer. For thy answer shall saveth the landeth. Honor to the Gods."

The man pulled his hands back. He cupped his hands and summoned a flame. The ember warmed his hands enough to stop shaking. Extinguishing the flames, the man peered back into the puddle.

At first, all he could see was his reflection.

Then, his reflection began to blur. Quickly, the man reached into his satchel and pulled out a piece of vellum and an inkwell. Uncapping the ink, the man looked back at the puddle. His reflection was gone. In its place were words. Words the man quickly wrote down.

Once he was done, the words faded away until the puddle was just a puddle.

"Thank you, Gods. I shall take your words to heart."

The man left the cave and traveled back to his home. It was located in a small village where nothing happened. The people woke, went to work, came back home, and sleep. The man did this too. Which was why no one suspected how important he is.

Moonlight spilled through the slants of his bedroom window. The man was tucked into bed. But he did not sleep. He stared at the rafters as if they would give him the answers he was looking for. A silly notion, he knew, but the Gods could only give so much information without interfering. That was what they told him through the writings in the puddle.

He was their messenger. Except he wouldn't be delivering any message. All he had to do was wait. Wait and see. Wait for the heroes to save the world.

Turning to his side, his gaze landed on his desk where the vellum sat. That single piece of vellum held part of the answers. The rest was unknown. But the man knew it will come soon.

He closed his eyes and let slumber take him away.

* * *

**The Shield Hero.**

**The Apothecary.**

**The Dancer.**

**The Spider King.**

**The Scholar.**

**The Swordswoman.**

**The Necromancer.**

**The Mercenary.**

* * *

_Heroes, strong and brave._

_Heroes, fearless and tact._

_Heroes, cruel and selfish._

_Heroes, just and unjust._

_When Kingdom come, there will be one._


	2. Chapter 1

In the lower parts of the city, far from the castle, a young woman takes out a paper from her satchel.

"I'd like to place this here." She said holding out the paper to the man sitting beside the wooden post.

By requirement, every city and village had a giant wooden post for people to display their services. From merchants to dancers to apothecaries, this was how they did their jobs. Of course, if one of them was well known throughout the kingdom, there was no need to display a paper on the board.

Sadly, the woman wasn't known enough even though she's been doing this for over four years. When she turned eighteen, she got her license and she couldn't have been any happier. She finally got her dream job. Now if only she was well known.

The man took the paper and read each word.

"An apothecary?" He looked up, his eyes scanning her.

"Yep." The woman nodded.

"You ain't the only 'pothecary that's here. Two others came before you. Think you'll get enough work?"

"I'm sure. Doesn't matter if there's two or twenty. I'm here to make people get better."

The man nodded and took out a hammer and nail from a box on the ground. He stood, found a spot on the board, and began hammering it in.

While he did that, the woman looked at the other papers until she found the ones she was looking for. As the man said, two other apothecaries were here. _Crap,_ she thought bitterly. She was annoyed there was more than one apothecary here. But it was a city and there was bound to be more than one. It couldn't be helped. Still, she was annoyed by it.

"All done." The man sat back down on his chair.

"Thank you." The woman paid him.

On the board, about half a foot from the bottom was her paper.

**Rachel Adlehart.**

**Apothecary.**

**Staying at Traverse Inn. May wander around.**

**Cost varies.**

Below that was a drawing of herself. It cost extra for the artist to use color, but it was worth it. And he did a pretty good job. He captured her honey-colored hair tied in a low ponytail to her azure eyes.

Not the most impressive advertisement, she knew, but when people needed an apothecary, they didn't care if the paper wasn't flashy. With any luck, a physician would want to buy some of her stuff.

Taking her leave, Rachel made her way to Traverse Inn. After she booked a room (a nice one, she told the innkeeper), she went to the small table in the corner and set down her satchel on it. Her satchel was not only big enough to hold her apothecary guidebook and almanac, it also held her vials, powders, herbs, berries, and other necessities an apothecary needs. It wasn't a cheap satchel, but it was worth it.

Grabbing a chair and setting herself in front of the table, Rachel began working on mixing. By the time she was done making salves, a knock came from the door.

"Excuse me, miss apothecary?"

Rachel went to the door and opened it. Before her stood an old woman shorter than she was.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Rachel asks.

"I need your help. My husband has had this cough and it hasn't gone away. I couldn't find the other apothecaries. Thank goodness I found you. Please, my husband needs your help."

"Of course." Rachel put her supplies back in her satchel. "Lead the way."

The old woman leads them to the slums of the city, Makeshift homes made out of wood and scraps of metal were nestled together like eggs in a carton. Rachel had seen these types of homes in her travels. She knew that the old woman would probably use up most of her savings to get medicine. That's how it is with most poor families.

They stopped at a shanty house next to a vendor selling fruit. As the woman began to unlock the door, coughs could be heard from the thin walls. Upon entering the home, the coughs became louder.

"He's in here." The old woman took Rachel to the back of the house where an old man was lying on a makeshift bed.

Rachel went up to the man and kneeled beside him. He looked at her but before he could say anything, he let out another cough.

"How long has this been going on?" Rachel asked the old woman.

"About three days. I tried to use a home remedy but it didn't work. What little medicine we had I used but it didn't help at all. Do you know what it is?"

When the old man coughed again, Rachel heard the familiar sound of a wet cough.

"Has he spat out any phlegm?" Setting down her satchel, Rachel pulled out three vials containing a red syrupy liquid.

"No, he hasn't."

Rachel didn't need to pull out her guidebook to know what was wrong with the man.

"He's severely congested. Most of his phlegm is back up and has a hard time getting out. This happens sometimes in older people." She handed the old woman the three vials. "Have him drink one every morning after breakfast. It will make him cough but the phlegm will be released."

The old woman took the vials. "Thank you, miss. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come here." She set aside the vials on a table and reached into the pocket of her trousers. She took out a small sack and Rachel could hear the clatter of coins from inside.

"Please," the old woman trusted the sack, "we don't have much money but this will surely pay for the medicine."

As tempting as it was to accept the money, Rachel couldn't. Just one look around the shanty home showed they needed the money more than she did.

Besides… she'll get triple the amount the old woman wanted to give her. Eventually.

"Thank you, but consider this on the house." Rachel gently pushed back the old woman's hand. "Your husband's health means much more to me than money."

For a moment, the old woman looked surprised before her eyes became misty. "Gods bless you, miss."

Rachel nodded, repeated the directions, and left the house.

When she made it back to the upper part of the city, her stomach growled. She only had a light breakfast before entering the city. A meat pie sounds about good. Or maybe a steak? She had enough money to buy ten steaks. But nothing beats a meat pie.

Finding a small bakery, she placed her order and sat down on one of the tables. It was a small place but big enough to have some tables. With nothing to do but wait, Rachel fiddled with the strap of her satchel.

"Did you hear about the Shield Hero?"

Rachel stopped her fiddling and looked to her left where two merchants sat.

"Yeah. And to think he's our hero! It's like the Gods have cursed us."

Ah. The Shield Hero. Rachel knew about the summoning of the Heroes. It happened a few days ago. She selling her medicine in a village when rumors started going on about the Shield Hero. Apparently, he raped the princess and is now an outcast.

At first, Rachel didn't pay much attention to the rumors. She'd rather hear it from a legitimate source than some gossiping women. Besides, it's not like she's one to judge.

"He's back. For what, who knows."

"I heard he was fighting with those balloon monsters. What a joke."

The men laughed and went back to eating their pies.

A waiter arrived and handed Rachel her pie. She thanked him and began eating. She tried to think of something, but her mind went back to the Shield Hero. She hadn't seen him. And there weren't any drawings of him or the other heroes yet. All she knew was that rumor.

It's not like she didn't want to believe what happened, but she knew how corrupted the king is.

Finishing her pie, Rachel left the bakery and didn't take more than five steps when someone shouted, "You! Apothecary!"

Rachel turned and was faced with a noblewoman. She wore a purple dress adjourned with sequences and a few jewels around her waist. Her golden hair was in a high bun.

From the sound of her voice, she sounded annoyed that she had to come here to the city.

_Not my fault you didn't send one of your servants._ Is what she would've said but she didn't want to lose a potential client. A _rich_ client at that.

"Yes, how can I help you, madame?" Formality, Rachel had learned, was an important thing to nobles.

"I require your assistance," The Noblewoman said. "My husband caught whatever cough is going on and the other apothecaries are busy. At least you look qualified."

_Bitch._ "I can assure you, madame, I am qualified. You said your husband has a cough?"

The woman nodded and asked Rachel to follow her. Their destination was a horse-drawn coach. They stepped in and the driver snapped his reigns and the horse went into the direction of the upper part of the city.

Rachel peaked out the window and admired all of the houses. One of these houses cost more than what she could make in a year. Must be nice to be rich.

The coach stopped in front of a gated house and they stepped off. Rachel notices a Demi-human pulling weeds from the garden. A flash of anger coursed through her before it went away.

Inside the house, Rachel took in all of the expensive furniture and paintings. She wasn't taken aback by all of it. You see it once, you've seen it all.

Up the stairs, the woman pushed open a door at the end of the hall. A man was sitting on a chaise at the end of a massive bed. He looked up when they entered.

"Is this an apothecary?" He asked.

"Yes." The woman responded. She then turned to Rachel. "You have medicine, don't you?"

"Yes, madame, I do." Rachel set down her satchel at an end table. She was about to pull out a vial when the man spoke.

"Why don't we get that Demi-human to get some of your herbs and mix them? It can't be that hard to be an apothecary."

Rachel took in all the energy she had not to clench her fist.

"You will not be touching my herbs," the woman said. "I grow them for the cooks. They need them for our meals. Besides, apothecaries just use leaves and grass, don't they?"

That's it.

Rachel put back the vial and pulled out another one.

"Here you are, sir." Rachel gave him the tonic she had given the old man from earlier. "Take this after you have your breakfast tomorrow morning. Your cough should subside."

The man took the vial and peered at the red liquid.

"This will make him feel better?" The woman sounded skeptical. This only made the storm inside Rachel's mind stronger and angrier.

"Yes. Though with this cough going on, make sure he drinks plenty of liquids. And to steer clear of anyone who looks sick."

The woman still didn't sound convinced but nodded. "Thank you. How much will the medicine cost?"

"Ten copper coins."

The woman went to a drawer, pulled out a small coin purse and took out the copper coins.

Rachel took the coins and bid them farewell.

She made her way out of the neighborhood and back to the inn. As angry as she was with the man and woman, she couldn't help but smile.

They'll be back.

* * *

Two days later, she was right.

Rachel was busy grounding herbs when a knock interrupted her.

"Apothecary!" It was the noblewoman.

_Perfect._

When Rachel answered the door, she put on her best-concerned face.

"Yes? What's wrong?"

"It's my husband. His cough got worse. I told him not to leave the house. But that fool didn't listen to me. Please, hurry!"

Twenty minutes later, they were back in the bedroom. The husband was now in bed, coughing into a handkerchief.

"You said he left the house?" Rachel asked.

"Yes. He had a meeting with a friend of his yesterday and said he was fine. Your tonic worked wonders. But I tried to convince him to stay. But he's stubborn. And look where that got him. You do have more medicine?"

Rachel nodded. "Of course. But…"

The woman looked confused at her hesitation. "But?"

"I do have the medicine to cure your husband. But in order to make it, it requires special ingredients. And because they are hard to get, I must charge more than my regular tonics."

Hook.

"Well... if that's the case." The woman took out her purse from the same drawer. "How much will it cost.

Line.

"It will cost you 35 gold coins."

Without hesitation, the woman gave her the coins.

Sinker.

"Thank you very much. Like the tonic before, make sure he drinks it after his breakfast tomorrow."

After Rachel left, she did a little hop. This was too easy.

Back at her room, Rachel pulled out the gold coins and giggled to herself.

This was something she has been doing the past two years. For the first two years as an apothecary, Rachel was subjected to noble people thinking her work as an apothecary was just mixing grass and leaves. Technically, they were right but it is more than grass and leaves. There is much more to being an apothecary than just mixing grass and leaves.

She loved her job. She took pride in it. So, when someone basically insults her job, they were insulting her. Not to mention there are those out there like the woman who didn't think she was qualified to be an apothecary. She may be young, but she's been studying hard for years to get her license.

One day, after a nobleman said she was slow on making his tonic, she came up with an idea. She added an ingredient to the tonic. A powder that causes the symptoms of whooping cough. Though they didn't get the disease, they just showed signs of it.

She gave the nobleman the tonic and sure enough, she was summoned back to cure him. She then lied by saying the tonic he needed required rare ingredients and that she would have to charge him more. The nobleman didn't care about the cost, he was practically swimming in money. She came in with copper coins and left with fifty gold coins.

She did this whenever she stayed in a city or village. If a nobleman insulted her work, she would repeat the same process. It was how she was able to keep herself afloat.

Did she feel bad about doing it?

Not one bit.

She tucked the gold coins into a coin purse, shouldered her satchel and left the inn.

"I'm in the mood for some steak and wine. And maybe a cake, too."


	3. Chapter 2

Fuck. This. World.

Naofumi had many words to describe Melromarc. And they weren't nice ones. Ranging from terrible to cluster fuck of a shit world.

And yet here he was, back in the city with the castle looming over, as if watching him and the people.

It's not like he wanted to be back here, but he needed money. And a place to rest.

Earlier, he'd been hunting for more balloons. If punching those things for hours would get him any experience, then he would gladly do it. Now he was dead tired. Tired physically and mentally.

He'd give anything to go back home. Fuck the hero business and everyone else in this godforsaken world. What reason did he have to be here if everyone treated him like a criminal?

And it was that stupid bitch's fault.

What he wouldn't do to gouge her eyes out. A cruel thought to have, he knew. But she deserved it. And so did the king. They deserved the worse.

He found his way back to the herb shop. He carried with him a small sack filled with whatever herbs he could gather. They weren't the best quality, but they were far from being considered bad.

Entering the cramped shop, Naofumi didn't bother to look at the stock and went straight for the counter where the shop owner was. The man was reading a book and only looked at him briefly before putting the book away.

"Got some stuff for me?"

"Sure do." Naofumi dumped the sack onto the wooden counter. There was no small talk between the two. They understood he only came here for business and nothing more. That was how he did things now. Unless he needed to scare his clients with the monster balloons.

The owner opened the sack and began taking out the herbs. He hummed as he turned over each plant, carefully inspecting them. Naofumi didn't know anything about plants, especially herbs and such, but he knew they had to be in good condition to use for medicine.

"Well," the owner reached down and pulled out some coins. "You brought back some good ones. I can give you seven silver coins for all of these."

Naofumi held out his hand and the owner deposited the coins. He intended to leave the store and go back to Traverse Inn and get a cheap room… but he didn't want to walk all the way over there. And the last time he was back here, he remembered the owner would sometimes take in sick people to rest in the back room.

"Listen…" The owner raised an eyebrow at his word. "Do you mind if I take a rest back there? I'm tired after punching those balloon monsters." More like his arms were tired.

"And here I thought the heroes didn't tire so easily."

"Guess you thought wrong."

They stared at each other for a while, the silence thickening as each second passes.

Finally, the man signed. "Go on and rest. There's someone else resting there, so you have to pull the curtain."

"Got it." Naofumi nodded and made his way to the back. Compared to the shop, this room was more spacious. Spacious enough for there to be two twin beds. On the left side the bed was empty save for the blanket. On the other side, the bed creaked as a man groaned. He looked somewhat fancy in his clothes. Definitely a nobleman.

Between the beds hung a curtain that divided the room.

Naofumi pulled the curtain and flopped onto the bed. It wasn't the most comfortable mattress, but it would suffice until he was well rested.

Putting his hands behind his head, he stared at the ceiling. This was his life now. Or at least until he finds a way back home.

Even now, he still couldn't believe he was in another world. This was something straight out of an isekai light novel. He thought he'd been dreaming when he and the other heroes arrived. But after a few hours, he knew this wasn't a dream. Everything was too vivid, too real.

He'd been scared, of course in the beginning, but he was starting to enjoy himself. He was a hero! Or at least, somewhat of a hero. He still hadn't figured out how to use his shield yet, but a hero.

Then… _she_ appeared and that's when shit hit the fan.

Naofumi couldn't help but scowl at the mere thought of that bitch. That was what he decided to call her from now on. She didn't deserve to be called by her name. Bitch suited her just fine.

Thanks to her, he was now an outcast. A nobody. Back home, he at least had parents and a brother who loved him unconditionally. And maybe a few online friends he would play with. Here, however, he had no one. He couldn't tell if he was sad or angry at that idea of having no one. Maybe both.

No matter the cost, he _will_ get back home. This place can rot and die for all he cares. The question is, how can he go back? What methods were there he could use? Even if he found the answer, the king wouldn't let him leave. He was a hero, after all. A hero who needs to protect the kingdom from these waves.

Maybe he'll just hide and let the waves kill the other heroes. If that were to happen, then he would have no reason to be here. The shield hero is a worthless hero. Surely the king would send him back.

At this point, he would do anything to go back home.

For now, he just wanted to rest.

The nobleman coughed as he tossed and turned. Thank goodness a curtain divided the room. Naofumi wasn't sure if heroes were immune to diseases, and he didn't want to test out that theory with the nobleman.

Pulling up his shirt until it covered his mouth and nose, Noafumi closed his eyes.

A bell jingled from the front. He could hear footsteps.

"Hello there," The shop owner said. "Here for more herbs, Ms. Addlehart?"

"No, thank you," a woman said. She sounded young. "And you can drop the pleasantries. It's Rachel."

"Sorry, Rachel. Just trying to be a gentleman."

"Thank you. I'm here because I heard you have someone who's sick?"

"Yes. He came by earlier and he wanted to rest. Thank the gods you came here on time. I was about to send someone to get you."

"No need to do that now. Can I go see him?"

"Of course. Go right ahead."

Naofumi opened one eye and looked at the door. About a second later, a woman came in. She was dressed in a white shawl opened at the chest which revealed fitted sleeved black corset with red laces, a light purple skirt that ended just below the knees and a brown belt. Her boots were brown and her satchel was a dark red.

She looked pretty. Blonde hair tied in a ponytail and blue eyes.

The woman, Rachel, unshouldered her satchel and put it on a table near the door. The curtain didn't divide the whole room. Space was left for Naofumi to see the door.

"Hello sir," Rachel says. "How can I help you?"

"You can help by curing me." The nobleman coughed as he spoke.

"And I will, sir. Just tell me your symptoms and I'll have a tonic ready for you."

The man listed off his symptoms and Rachel nodded along.

"I got just the thing for you." She reached into her satchel and Naofumi guessed she was looking through her tonics.

"Hurry up will you!" The man said. "I'm getting sicker and sicker by the minute. Can't you apothecaries move faster?"

Rachel had just pulled out a vial when she stilled. Though Naofumi couldn't see her face, he could tell she was irritated. He would be too if some asshole noble ordered him around.

"And don't give me any crap medicine." The nobleman continued. "All your stuff is bitter. I can make better, tastier medicine."

Naofumi waited to see what Rachel would have to say. Instead, he saw her put the vial back and took out another one.

"Here you are, sir. This one doesn't have that much bitterness to it." Rachel stepped out of view into the curtain.

Naofumi heard the sound the cork being pulled from the bottle.

"How much will this be?" The nobleman asked.

"seven silver coins," Rachel replied.

Rachel came back into view. She stuffed the coins into a sack attached to her belt. She shouldered her satchel and looked in the direction of the nobleman.

"Drink half of that now and the rest of it before you go to bed. There's a cough going around so be sure to avoid any sick people. Stay indoors and drink plenty of liquids."

She thanked him and left. When the jingling bell signified her leaving the store, Naofumi closed his eyes again and shifted until he got comfortable.

_Interesting._


	4. Chapter 3

"Got any news for me?"

Naofumi stared down at the blacksmith. The Old Man, as Naofumi decided to call him, scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry, kid. Nothing new. Haven't heard of any jobs you can do."

"Perfect."

Naofumi slumped down in a chair. Yesterday was tiring and now it would be boring. What kind of hero sits on his ass not doing anything while the world was in danger? Maybe he wasn't the hero the kingdom needed. If that was the case, then he should just leave the saving to the other heroes.

"Don't look so sour, kid," Old Man said. "Just get up and look around. There are jobs even you can do."

"Such as?" Naofumi asked.

"Such as… hunting."

"Can't use other weapons, remember?"

"Oh yeah. Then how about…"

When he couldn't come up with an answer, Naofumi slumped even further in his chair.

"Kid," Old Man said, "I think it's about time you start searching for party members. You can't do this all by yourself. There are monsters and people out there who can easily take you down."

As much as Naofumi wanted to disagree on the idea of adding party members, Old Man did have a point. Then again, the last time he had a party member he ended up being accused of rape.

"No." He said. "Not happening."

Old Man sighed. "Keep up that lone-wolf attitude and it'll get you killed. At least go out and try talking to people. I ain't your babysitter. Think you can do that?"

Naofumi rolled his eyes. He wasn't some five-year-old who needed to have his hand held.

"Well then, Old Man, who should I talk to? Last I checked, practically everyone hates me and won't come near me with a ten-foot pole."

Old Man waved his hand dismissively. "Check the board near the entrance of the town, you'll find some people looking for jobs. Maybe someone's looking to go on an adventure and won't care who they're going with."

"And if they say no?"

"Quit being pessimistic, kid. It won't hurt just to look."

He was right. Naofumi stood and stretched his arm only to wince. They were still a little sore but compared to yesterday, this was a good day for his arms.

"You OK?" Old Man asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little sore, is all."

"Hmm…" Old Man began rubbing his chin. Naofumi knew he was thinking of something. Something good or bad, he didn't know.

Just when he was about to leave, Old Man snapped his fingers. "Why not get an apothecary to join you?"

"An apothecary?"

"Yeah! If you get hurt or sick, they'll treat you in no time. And the money they make while traveling will help if you need to buy things. Not a bad idea, huh?"

Except it was a bad idea. Naofumi remembered the woman from yesterday, Rachel. He knew little about what apothecaries do. Thanks to the number of video games he has played, they are good at making medicine and salves. And from what he saw, Rachel probably had many tonics and salves ready to go.

She did sound like a good potential member had it not been for what he had seen. He knew Rachel didn't give the man the proper tonic. The way she stilled at the nobleman's words, Naofumi put two and two together and knew she had given him the wrong medicine on purpose.

An apothecary is supposed to make people feel better, not worse. Rachel seemed like an honest person, but looks can be deceiving. All had to do was remember Malty. Ugly souls hiding behind pretty faces.

Still, Old Man was right. Having an apothecary would have its advantage should he ever need one. He still hasn't accessed most of his shield skills yet and having someone there to help him fight enemies could get them some EXP.

The question is, does Rachel know how to fight? She wasn't carrying any weapon on her, just her satchel. Unless she had a weapon hidden in her satchel or somewhere on her. He didn't look at what level she was. Probably high considering she travels a lot.

There was also the money an apothecary makes. She got seven silver coins for just one tonic. Just one! She might even get gold coins.

Tempting as it was, he still wasn't sure. After the ordeal with Malty, he couldn't trust women. There was no telling if Rachel was a Malty.

But he was out of options at this point. The idea of having a slave did cross his mind. But there was always the chance the slave could betray him. Even with a contract, there can be loopholes. And those loopholes could get him killed.

Like it or not, Rachel seemed like a good option. If she rejects him, he could always… convince her. Or rather, his balloon monsters could convince her.

That should work.

"Thank, Old Man." Naofumi headed for the door. "I'll take your advice."

"Stay safe, kid." Old Man called out.

Out in the streets, Naofumi took in a deep breath and exhaled.

"Alright Rachel Addlehart, let's see where you are."

* * *

The first place Naofumi went to was the post board near the city entrance. He found Rachel's ad and saw she was staying at Traverse Inn. After speaking with the innkeeper and finding out she was out in town, Operation Find Rachel was proving to be a bit difficult.

The woman had blonde hair and a dark red satchel. She shouldn't be too hard to find.

Two hours later, Naofumi was sitting on a bench near a bakery panting. Hours of walking around and he couldn't find her. Whenever he spotted long blonde hair, his hopes would go up only to disappear when they weren't carrying a satchel. Plus, two of them ended up being men with long hair.

Why was this so hard? It didn't help that most of the people steered clear from him with fear in their eyes. She must've heard about what happened. Of course she did. Maybe that's why he hasn't seen her; she was avoiding him.

Groaning, Naofumi leaned back and looked up at the sky. This was going to take forever.

A bell jingled. "Thanks again for coming." The scent of sweets hit Naofumi's nose. The bakery.

"You're welcome!"

That voice.

Naofumi looked in the direction of the bakery and the first thing he saw was the dark red satchel. The owner of said satchel was finishing what looked like a meat pie.

Rachel.

_Well that was easy._

He stood and followed Rachel. She was going to the market district, no doubt to try and get attention from people who have seen her ad. This was his chance. There was no telling when she'll leave and _if _she'll ever come back here.

They entered the district and people went to and from different stalls. Vendors were shouting out their wares.

"Beautiful silk scarves for ten silver coins!"

"Freshly made meatballs on a stick! Three for 8 silver coins!"

"Newest make-up all the way from Silvershore!"

Naofumi ignored them and kept up with Rachel's pace. She stopped in front of the stall selling meatballs. Now.

Before she could place her order, Naofumi called her out.

"Rachel."

The apothecary looked to her right and saw him. Her gaze shifted to his shield and her eyes widened slightly.

She stepped away from the vendor and stood a few paces from him.

"Hello, Shield Hero. What can I do you for?"

The words Naofumi wanted to say died in his throat. He should've practiced what he wanted to say to her. He can't just say, "Join my team," and have her agree right on the spot. To get her on board, he needed to play his cards right. Two cards, specifically. One of them blackmailing her. The other his balloons.

"Can we speak somewhere quiet?" He tried to keep his voice even. Not annoyed or irritated. This was his only chance and he didn't want to fuck it up by sounding irritated or even looking mad.

Rachel stared at him, no doubt contemplating if she wants to go anywhere with him. She looked to both sides and gestured to an alleyway.

"Did you need my services, Shield Hero?" Rachel asks once they enter the alleyway.

"Something like that."

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to explain.

"I need a party member to help me with healing. And you're just what I'm looking for. You have tonics and salves. Or maybe I can be one of your clients and buy stuff from you regularly? What do you say?

In video games, anytime the protagonist needs a party member, they usually do something for said member to gain their trust. Or they would need the protagonist's help to complete their goal and join them.

Since this wasn't a game, Naofumi had to rely on words. No promises of completing tasks. The other three heroes could easily get party members since they were looked up to and weren't accused of any crimes. With him, he needed to convince people to join him.

Rachel's reply came quick. "I'm sorry, but I have to decline your offer."

Alright then, plan B.

"I'm sure there are other apothecaries who are-"

"I saw what you did to that nobleman."

Rachel looked surprised at his words.

"I'm sorry, w-what are you talking about?"

He had her right here he wants her. Naofumi smirked. "I saw what you did to that nobleman at the herb shop. You switched tonics. You gave him the wrong tonic on purpose. And don't say you got confused. You apothecaries are experts at your craft. Let me guess, you were tired of his shit and you gave him the wrong tonic to make him sicker so you could get more money? Am I wrong?"

This was too easy. He hadn't been here for more than a week and already he's got someone wrapped around his finger. There was no way Rachel could get out of this one. He just needed to cement the threat.

"It'd be a shame if I found the nobleman and said you intentionally made him sick. Or maybe I'll tell the herb shop owner? You'll never buy anything from him again after he finds out."

Naofumi didn't care if this made him more villainous than before. If the people thought of him as scum or worse, he would prove them just how evil he can be if needed. There was no room for compassion or honesty.

Honest work brought in more success. In this world, however, lying and using force brought success.

The two stared at each other, not moving. A mouse scampered by and the shouts of vendors echoed through the alley.

Finally, Rachel moved. Or rather, her face did. She frowned and her expression hardened like she was dealing with an impatient customer. She reached into her satchel and pulled out a long smoking pipe. She put the lips of the pipe to her mouth and held a thumb underneath the bowl. A flame flickered from her thumb.

_Fire magic,_ Naofumi thought. He'll keep that in mind.

Rachel shook her hand, extinguishing the flame and inhaled. She removed the pipe from her mouth and blew out smoke in Naofumi's direction. He coughed and waved away the smoke. Oddly, it didn't smell like tobacco.

Rachel put a hand to her hip while still holding the pipe. "What do you want?" There was a bluntness to her voice. Earlier, she was soft-spoken and gentle. Now she's hard and angry.

"I said what I needed," Naofumi said. "I need you on my team. I'll keep your secret if you'll join me-"

"No."

Her bluntness made him stop speaking. The only time he has ever heard anyone speak like this were professors who were strict on not giving students second chances.

This was not what he needed. Not another woman to piss him off. And why isn't she scared?

"Look," Rachel capped her pipe and put it back in her satchel. "I have a job to do and that job doesn't involve going on an adventure. Especially with someone who is on the ass end of the kingdom."

Naofumi didn't expect her to curse so easily.

"And," Rachel continues. "You'd think anyone would believe _you_, over me? You can't prove shit, Shield Hero. Go find someone else. I'm out of here."

Well then, Plan C it is.

"You sure about that?" He challenged her.

Rachel's eyes never left his. She was watching, waiting to see what he would say or do.

On his sides, Naofumi could feel the balloons getting ready to attack. He lifted up his cloak revealing the balloons. Rachel didn't even flinch at their sight. If that's the case, maybe she'll start crying out when they bite her.

"Get her!"

Two of the balloons pounced, their mouths wide open.

It won't take less than ten seconds for her to ask him to get them off of her. This was going to be a piece of-

_POP!_

The popping sound startled Naofumi. The fleshy rubber fell to the ground.

What the…

He looked up and in her right hand, Rachel was holding an ax. Its silver blade shone brightly even in the darkened alley. Rachel's eyes went from an inviting blue to a cold steel blue.

She's pissed off.

Naofumi didn't get to move an inch before Rachel rushed him and kicked him in the crotch. Hard.

Air was knocked out of him. He tried to cover his crotch but Rachel brought up the ax's silver handle to his throat and pushed him against a wall. She pressed hard to the point where Naofumi couldn't breathe. He couldn't even raise his shield.

"Listen you piece of shit!" Rachel spat out. "I am not someone who scares easily. It's a tough world and I have killed before. You're lucky the world needs you otherwise. But know this, next time you cross someone, they won't be as forgiving as I am."

She released him and Naofumi fell to the ground gasping for air. Tears leaked, trailing down his cheeks. He was gasping for air, crying, and holding his crotch. He was the epitome of pathetic.

Holding on to the little strength he has left, Naofumi looked up and saw Rachel tucking her ax underneath her shawl. She made her way out before stopping the mouth of the alley.

"Word of advice, Shield Hero. Don't mess with anyone who looks defenseless." With those words, she left.

Naofumi curled into a ball, hiding his face. What did he do to deserve this? Crying in an alleyway.

Fuck this world.

* * *

_Fucking stupid Shield Hero._

Rachel never expected to cross paths with the Shield Hero. And she never expected to be threatening one of the Four Cardinal Heroes.

From what she has heard, the Shield Hero was just some enthusiastic boy when he first arrived. Clearly, after being accused of raping the princess, he changed. A lot.

But Rachel didn't expect him to be so… scary wasn't the right word. He tried to be intimidating but she has met bandits and puppies who were more intimidating than he was. Whatever he was, he was just some kid trying to be scary.

What's worse is that he saw what she did to that nobleman. She didn't bother to check if there was anyone else in the room which was the biggest mistake she has ever made. Well, it's not like she'll get in trouble. She was right about people not believing the Shield Hero over her.

She knew the Shield Hero didn't rape the princess. He failed at trying to be intimidating and there's no way someone like him would commit such an act. Especially since she knew the princess could use magic.

Why she lied about it? Rachel didn't know. All she heard was from gossip and she never believed any gossip. That didn't stop the Shield Hero's name from getting dragged in the dirt. She did feel kind of sorry for him. But that was before he tried to attack her. He even used those stupid balloons a four-year-old could pop.

Today was not a good day for her. It started out so well. The nobleman called her again because his cough got worse and she conned him out of 40 gold coins. It was supposed to be a good day of eating fancy food and indulging in fine wine. Not kick the Shield Hero's ass.

Rachel found herself at the entrance of Traverse Inn. After what happened with the Shield Hero, she just wanted to make some salves. She was running low and she couldn't leave without making some more.

She trudged up the stairs, mentally tired from having to deal with what happened.

Entering her room, she went straight for the table.

She took off her satchel-

-rough hands grabbed her from behind.

"What the-" Whoever had her lifted her up. She flailed her feet, hoping to land a good kick. She could feel the belly of the person on her back.

"Let go of me you fat fuck!"

She landed a hard kick on the man's shin. He cried out but still held Rachel in a strong grip. She struggled more only for a hand to appear under her nose. In that hand was a vial and she could smell something sweet yet bitter.

Oh no. She knew what this scent could do.

She tipped her head back but it was too late. Her vision began to blur and her limbs grew numb.

The last thing she hears before losing consciousness was her satchel hitting the floor.

* * *

**Thank you all so much for reading!**

**SS-Ninja221: Thanks for the comment. To answer your question, Naofumi won't be OP at the beginning. He'll get some upgrades that will power him up but not OP. There will be monsters and people who are stronger than him.**


	5. Chapter 4

Night had fallen on Castle Town. Residents scurried back to their homes. Some stayed in alehouses enjoying their spirits, some stayed in gambling dens betting every last coin they could give. Gas lamps lined the streets offering as much light as they could.

Naofumi stayed close to the light as he made his way to the main gate. There was no need to stay here any longer. After his chat with Rachel, he just wanted to get out of here and sleep. He didn't have enough coins to stay at an inn, and he didn't want to ask Old Man to stay in his shop. There was enough pride in him to not ask for help at every weak moment.

Any normal person would've opted to sleep in a dingy inn but Naofumi was sure he would get turned down by the innkeeper. And with only two balloon monsters left, he didn't want to risk anyone killing them.

Wilderness it was, then.

It was a long walk to the gate but he made it. The guards saw him approach and began opening the gate. Naofumi didn't miss the animosity they shot at him. Ignoring them, he walked past until his feet touched the dirt road.

He found his way to a small grove of trees and flowers. He removed his cloak and draped it over himself like a blanket. Turning to his side, Naofumi attempted to sleep but stared at a lily close to his face. His plan to recruit – or blackmail – Rachel ended poorly. It should've ended with Rachel joining him, not a kick to the crotch.

Maybe this is what he deserved. Not that he didn't care about morality at this point. If one is supposed to survive in this world, one must bite first, not be bitten. He was both bark and bite. Rachel, on the other hand, had more bark and bite than him if she was strong enough to take him down.

Nothing has been going his way ever since he got here. Being ignored by the king, having Malty trick him, the citizens being scared of him. Was this some sort of karma? Did he piss off the wrong god somehow? He knew the answers to them was no. He did nothing wrong. So why be treated like scum?

He would show them. He would show all of them. Starting with Malty.

Adjusting himself, Naofumi closed his eyes only to open them.

The grove was quiet. No cicadas sang their songs. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he peered through bushes and the grass. No enemies in sight. No creature growled. All was silent.

"Heh."

Jumping to his feet, Naofumi spun until he saw three men standing a few feet away from them. Their weathered faces and scars on their arms showed they were bandits. There was nothing peaceful about them.

Two of them were twins with the difference being the left one had a scar on his forehead and the other one wore a bandana. In front of them was man slightly shorter than the twins but still intimidating in size. In his hand, he held a sword stained brown with dried blood.

"Look what we found here," the swordsman said. He laughed and his companions chuckled.

Naofumi put back on his cloak and put his shield in front of him.

"What do you want?" Since they were bandits, they only wanted to steal his things.

"Word on the street is," the swordsman said, "that the Shield Hero was known to sleep here."

"Look at him." Bandana man said. "Nothing but a leech. And a poor one at that."

"If I'm so poor, why come here?" Naofumi challenged.

"Well," the swordsman waved his sword. "If we kill you, we might get that shield of yours. Wouldn't hurt to try."

The twins took out their weapons. Curved sickles.

"You think the three of you can take me down?"

The swordsman laughed. "No. But thanks for confirming how stupid you are."

Naofumi didn't understand what he meant. Stupid?

Before he could ask, an arm snaked around him. He didn't have time to react before a vial was placed under his nose. Using his shield, he knocked whoever was behind him. He tried to run but his vision started to blur. He collapsed to the ground. The feeling of the grass against his nose what the last thing he felt before his vision darkened.

* * *

"_Naofumi, what do you want to do?"_

_Naofumi paused the game and turned to his little brother. They were in his room playing their third round of Smash Bros. It was the weekend and their parents were out of town for their jobs. It was just him and Akito._

_Looking at him, Naofumi was reminded of how similar they look. Same hair color (after he stopped dyeing it) and eye color. The only difference being that Akito had a bit of a baby face. Often he would be mistaken for a first-year student._

"_What do you mean?" It was a strange question, coming out of the blue like that._

"_I mean what are you going to do when you graduate? Do you have a job you want to get?"_

"_Why are you asking these questions?"_

"_Well…" Akito toyed with his controller's analog stick. "Mom and dad give you an allowance and you sometimes buy figurines and games. You even spend the money you get from your part-time job. Do you have any goals?"_

… _How should he answer this? Being an otaku isn't bad. It may be looked down upon by some people, but it did give him happiness to buy figurines and video games. And with his allowance and work money, he could get by._

_At least, until he graduates._

_By no means did he consider himself a bad student. He passed his courses although he did put his hobbies first instead of his studies. But he was still passing. He knew he would work in an office at some point after he graduates. Which office, he didn't know. And quite frankly, he didn't care._

_Except that might not be a good thing to say to his brother. It wasn't that long ago that he made sure Akito didn't go the wrong way growing up. So, he decided to take him under his wing and eventually turned him into an otaku as well._

_Probably not the best thing to do. But the damage is done._

_Here he was now, twenty and playing video games with his brother without a care in the world._

"_I don't know, really." He answered honestly. "Just work in some office and maybe get a small apartment."_

"_Really." Akito sat back on Naofumi's bed. "Mom and dad have a good job and they get a lot of money. Do you want to do what they do?"_

_Not really, but he didn't want to reply with that. Naofumi did care about his future, just not like how other college students do. Which did bring down his mood here and there._

_At the end of the day, what did he want to do?_

"_I'll do whatever I want when the time comes. Now come on, we still got three more rounds left." He reached over and ruffled Akito's hair._

"_Stop that!" Akito swatted his hand away, laughing. "You're gonna pay for that!"_

"_Bring it, little bro."_

_They started their new round. Naofumi smiled when his character had the advantage._

_This was nice. Just him and his brother enjoying video games._

"_Shield Hero."_

_Huh? Did Akito's voice always sound like a girl?_

"_Shield Hero!"_

_No, it wasn't his brother's voice. Someone else was calling to him. His mother?_

"_Wake up!"_

* * *

A blow to the shoulder startled Naofumi. Blinking away the blurriness, he looked around. Across from him was…

"Rachel?"

"No, the queen. Yes, it's me. And be quiet."

Naofumi realized she was whispering. When his grogginess went away, he got a good look around him. They were in a wagon of some sort. Crates holding who knows what pushed him and Rachel into the back of the wagon.

Peeking over a crate, through the open flaps at the front, he could see the driver and the horse.

"Where are we?" He asked as he settled back down.

"Hell if I know," Rachel responded. "I can't see shit through the cover."

Naofumi moved his hand-

Or at least attempted to move it. He was tied up. The same with Rachel. So how did she wake him?

"Did you kick me?"

"It was the only way to wake you." She didn't even sound sorry. This made him pissed.

"Oh quit with that stupid pissy face," Rachel said. "It's not gonna work on me."

She was right. Now was not the time to get angry. They were in the back of a wagon heading somewhere.

"What happened?"

"We got drugged. The fuckers who got us concocted something to knock us out. And it worked."

Just perfect. Huffing out a sigh, Naofumi leaned back. How was he going to get out of this mess? And to top it off, the girl who kicked him in the crotch was right in front of him. Did fate have it out for him?

"Hey." Naofumi looked up to Rachel. "Can't you use that shield of yours to break us out?"

There was a good idea.

Looking at part of the shield that wasn't covered by the rope, he accessed his skills. Looking through the ones he has, he couldn't find anything to set them free.

"Sorry." He closed the browser. "Nothing."

Rachel sighs. "Guess it's up to me, then."

Intrigued, Naofumi watched as Rachel pushed herself back against the wagon and used her feet to push herself up.

"Dumbasses shouldn't have left my ax here." She whispered.

She was right. Near the entrance of the wagon her ax was sticking out of a crate.

Instead of going there, Rachel stared at the driver. Naofumi looked back and forth wondering what she's doing. She stared at him intently as if she was going to burn a hole in the man's head.

Naofumi was about to ask what she's doing when he saw it.

In front of Rachel, green lines began to appear. They connected together to create some kind of sigil. What kind? He couldn't tell.

The sigil glowed slightly brighter. Rachel smiled.

"Enjoy."

The sigil broke apart like glass shattering. Naofumi looked back at the driver and he was coated in a light green aura. The driver didn't seem to notice he was glowing green.

The glow died down and nothing happened.

Then the driver stopped the horse. He groaned, holding his stomach.

"What the…" The driver got off the wagon and continued groaning.

Rachel stood, went to her ax and moved up and down, using the blade to cut the ropes. Once she was free, she grabbed her ax and stepped outside.

Naoufmi heard a loud thump.

A few seconds later, Rachel came back in.

"Good news," she says, "he won't be bothering us any time soon. Let me help you."

She knelt down beside him and cut the ropes. Naofuim stretched his arms, relieved to be free.

"What did you do to him?" He asked.

"Just knocked him out with my ax. And yes, I used the blunt end." With Naofumi free, Rachel went about going through the crates.

"Come, it has to be here somewhere." She moved crates and removed their contents.

Naofumi stood there awkwardly, not knowing if he should help or leave. He did owe her for saving him, but she did kick him in the crotch. This wasn't his mess to be dealing with.

"Found it!" Rachel pulled up her satchel from a crate. "Thank the gods." She opened her satchel and dug through it. "Looks like everything is still here. Even my coin pouch."

She shouldered her satchel and placed her ax underneath her shawl. Making her way to the front of the wagon, she looked behind her.

"You coming or not?"

For his part, Naofumi ignored the bluntness of her tone and joined her.

The first thing he saw was the crumpled body of the driver. He was still breathing but had a nasty bruise on the side of his head. The second thing he saw was a sea of trees on the side of the road. The path they were on was leaning upward to a steep incline.

They were far from Castle Town. Very far.

"Where the hell are we?" Anger coursed through his center, spreading to every part of his body. Fuck these bandits.

"Were about a half-a-day walk to Castle Town," Rachel said. She was looking at the horse. "I came through this path to get to the city. There shouldn't be any problems if we just follow the path."

She moved forward to pet the horse's snout. The horse in returned snorted but allowed her to pet him.

"You think we can ride the horse back to town?" Naofumi went and stood beside Rachel.

"Hell if I know. He seems friendly now but cut those ropes and he could go ballistic."

It was either walk back to Castle Town or ride the horse.

"Cut the ropes."

Rachel side-eyed him but did as she was told. Using her ax, she cut the ropes connecting the horse to the wagon.

When the horse was free, he took a few steps forward.

"Right, now we should-"

The horse neighed and galloped ahead, leaving them behind in a trail of dust. The two stared at the path the horse took.

"Well, that could've gone better." Rachel said.

Fucking perfect. Guess they were walking. Correction. _He_ was walking.

"You know the way back?" Rachel calls out to him when he stepped past her.

"You said to follow the path back, right? That's what I'm doing. I don't need your help."

"Are you sure?" Naofumi didn't miss the teasing tone. "There are different paths that lead to other villages. You have looked at a map of the country, right?"

… he didn't.

"And," Rachel continued. "The creatures out here can be pretty dangerous."

Balling his hands, Naofumi resisted the urge to shot back a sarcastic response.

"Oh, and can you even read the signs? I doubt it since you were summoned here from a different world. Looks like you need my help."

Fat chance.

"I told you." He spun around to face her. "I don't need your help. Not anyone's."

"Kid, drop the lone wolf attitude. You're lucky I even decided to help you. I could've left you back there in that wagon until the driver woke up. For all we know, you could've been sold to someone and become their slave. Unless that shield of yours can do more than just block attacks?"

This is not happening. Every fiber in his being wanted to disagree with her. She could betray him the way Malty did and leave him here for dead when she gets the chance. There was no guarantee she would help him get back to Castle Town.

Although, she did free him. She didn't have to, but she did. And she was strong enough to wield an ax. Speaking of which.

Naofumi looked at her stats.

**Rachel Addlehart.**

**LV. 28**

28! She was levels beyond his. She made his level 3 look like crap. Do all apothecaries have high levels? Didn't they just travel around curing people? Then again, they were ambushed by bandits. And Rachel did say she has killed before. Maybe apothecaries aren't so defenseless.

A level 3 stuck out here in the wilderness with creatures that could be beyond his level. What choice did he have at this point?

Sighing, he extended his arm. "Lead the way."

Rachel smiled and patted him on the head. "Thanks."

"Don't do that. I'm not a kid. I'm 20."

"Well I'm 22 so that makes you like a kid to me. And quit your scowling. It doesn't work on someone with a cute face like yours."

Cute?

He stared at her in bewilderment as she ambled on ahead.

This was going to be a long walk.

* * *

The sun was beating down on their necks but it wasn't that hot. A gentle breeze cooled them down and the trees did offer shade when they passed ones that were tall enough.

For the most part, their trip was in silence. Naofumi wasn't in a talking mood. They were about two hours into their walk and his legs were beginning to get tired. Being tied up earlier didn't help much either. But he didn't want to take any chances with the creatures out here if they decide to rest.

"You doing OK?" Rachel asked. Her bluntness was gone and her voice showed actual concern.

"A little tired, that's all."

"Hmm…"

Ahead of them, on their right, the trees ended and grass stretched out for miles.

"Let's rest here for a bit." Rachel broke from the path and sat down on the grass. Naofumi, following suit, sat a few feet from her. Rachel dug into her satchel and pulled out two apples.

"Here." She tossed one at him.

Taking a bite from his apple, Naoufmi leaned back a little and took in the view. Compared to the city, this was a fresh of breath air. No car fumes or crowded sidewalks. This must be what the countryside looks like.

Only he wasn't in Japan.

He was in some field with a foul-mouthed apothecary who can make people sick.

"What did you do to the driver?"

Rachel stops chewing and raises an eyebrow.

"That sigil you drew. What did it do to the driver?"

Swallowing, Rachel wiped her mouth. "It's a spell I learned before I started traveling. Helps a lot when you need it."

So then a person can draw sigils with their minds. That's… pretty cool.

"What was that spell?"

"It's a poisoning spell. The person would feel sick all of a sudden and their health decreases. It goes away but it leaves you weak."

Very helpful, indeed.

"So you've used that spell before?" He didn't know what else to talk about so he continued with that.

Rachel nodded. "Yeah. Bandits or creatures, you name it. It got me out of some tight situations before. Traveling the country has its dangers. You gotta protect yourself somehow. Otherwise, you're dead meat."

"And you've killed, right?"

"My ax isn't for show. There were a few times when I did have to kill some bandits. It was either me or them. Kill or be killed. Not that I go around hunting bandits. I just try to avoid them as much as I can."

Naofumi couldn't help but admire that. She's a woman who could protect herself and earn a living selling medicine. He was wrong to think she was an easy target to manipulate.

Even more so when he saw her give that nobleman the wrong medicine.

It wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Back at the medicine shop. Do you do that with most of your patients?"

Rachel tossed her apple core behind her. "Sometimes. Most of the people I help are nice. They're very generous when I give them medicine. But then there are some people, noble or not, who are not so nice."

"Why do it though?" He was curious about that.

"Well, I spend my days traveling to villages and cities offering my wares to people who need it. I have to gather a lot of my ingredients either from nature or buying them at medicine shops. Then I spend the day making tonics and salves which takes a good chunk of the day. Only to have some jackass completely disregard my hard work."

There was her bluntness again.

"And it's not that I don't put in hard work," she continues. "I do. Which pisses me off to have someone ignore the hours I spend making medicine. I'm putting my life on the line traveling and picking ingredients. They could at least show some gratitude to apothecaries."

The way she was going on, she must've held these feelings back. Naofumi remembered the times when Akito would come to him and vent about how mom and dad were expecting a lot from him.

"And that's when you decided to poison them?"

"I don't poison them. I just give them medicine laced with powders that have side effects. Like if someone has a fever and they're being mean, I give them a tonic that'll cure them but make them sick again and pretend that the medicine I have for them requires special ingredients and charge them even more."

Smart. It's a scam, but a smart one.

And she did all that from mixing plants.

Naofumi plucked some of the grass. They probably don't have any medicinal purposes to them. Out of habit, he infused the grass to his shield.

He didn't expect much to happen. Only for him to nearly do a double take when his selection menu expanded. New shields.

"What the…" All just from grass?

"What's up?" Rachel leaned closer to his shield. "Something happened?"

He didn't know how to answer her.

Only one way to test it out.

Holding out his arm, he concentrated on his shield.

"Leaf Shield, Go!"

The center of his shield glowed and a drawing of a plant came into focus. The drawing spun until it came into itself. His shield glowed and transformed right before his eyes.

The shield took the form of a leaf with metal plating. The green core was still there but other than that, it was still a shield.

"So that's what it does." Rachel reached out and tapped it. "These weapons are no joke."

Naofumi withdrew his arm. "Don't touch."

"Relax, I just tapped it. Don't get your hero undies in a bunch."

Scowling, he ignored her and plucked a blade of grass. If he added more, would he get more modifications?

Turning the blade of grass, a notification popped up. He didn't read a single word before the blade of grass glowed. When it dimmed, it became darker, richer.

"It improved the quality?"

"Give me that!"

Rachel swiped the blade from his hand. She peered at it and back at him.

"You did this?"

"Uh… yeah."

Instead of responding, Rachel dug into her satchel and pulled out a type of plant. "Here, try it again with this."

Taking the plant from her, Naofumi held it and it glowed. The plant stood a little firm and the leaves curled at the end.

He held out to Rachel who took it from him with excitement in her eyes.

"Holy crap! This is amazing!" She held the plant like she was holding a gold bar. "Guess you aren't as useless as I thought you were."

She didn't need to say that. "Thanks," Naofumi said through gritted teeth.

This was like watching a kid getting a gacha prize.

"Is the plant health-"

Rachel held out her hand. He stopped speaking. She wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the path they had taken. They stared at the spot. That's when he heard it. Thumping sounds.

Horses.

"Shit." Rachel shouldered her satchel and pulled Naofumi up. "Let's go."

Instead of taking the path, they dove into the forest. Naofumi did his best to not lose his balance as Rachel pulled him along. She's stronger than she looks.

"There!" Rachel pointed to a rocky cliffside. The mouth of a cave was barely visible through some bushes.

She tugged him along until they were inside the cave.

Unbeknownst to them, something inside sensed their presence.

It let out a growl.


	6. Chapter 5

"We should be safe in here. For a while at least."

Naofumi followed Rachel deeper into the cave before coming to a stop.

"Why not keep going?" He asked.

"I don't know this cave system. The last thing we need is to be lost."

They were lucky enough to come across glowing crystals illuminating their path. This really did remind him of all those games he played that involved going into dungeons or caves. But this was real. He could smell the damp air and feel the jagged wall of rock.

"Here should be good." Rachel stopped before a cluster of crystals and sat down. "Let's wait for thirty minutes and go back out."

Naofumi nodded and sat across from her. Next to him, a crystal jutted out of the wall, bathing him in a light green glow.

As beautiful and serene as the scene around him was, it didn't dampen the feeling of contempt for those bandits that kidnapped him and Rachel.

"Why did they kidnap us?" What could he have that would make someone want to kidnap him?

"Probably because we're worth something to them." Rachel said. "I have money so that makes me an obvious target. You're the Shield Hero. They'd probably force you into a slave contract to do their dirty deeds. It's pretty common with bandits."

"Really?"

"Yep. Heard some fucked up stories in my travels."

Naofumi could only nod, not knowing what to say to that. He knew so little about human trafficking from his world, he didn't know if the same rules applied here. Given there were also demi-humans as well, it makes it all the worse when said out loud.

It was why he didn't want a slave. His name was already in the mud, what reason was there to drag it even further? Not that he cared what people think, but even he had morals.

Except good morals could only get him so far. Had he not acted out of intimidation, he wouldn't get where he was now. That still wasn't enough. He's still at a low level and didn't have any party members. Rachel didn't even count considering she rejected his offer.

"Why the long face, Shield Hero?" Rachel asked.

Naofumi met her gaze before shifting it to a crystal. "Just thinking about stuff."

Rachel could hear the dismissive tone and didn't press further. Good. He didn't need a therapy lesson at this point. Especially from her.

"Well, try to get over it," Rachel said. "Once we're out of here, we still got a long way to get back to Castle Town. _If_ those bandits give up. I hope they do."

"Can we even be sure they'll give up?" Naofumi asked.

"They have to at some point. They can't keep searching forever. And they wouldn't be brave to kidnap us in the city. Not around the royal guards."

During his time at the castle, Naofumi saw several of the guards stationed around. In rooms, in hallways, in the mess hall, even in different parts of the city. They reminded him of those guards in England. Still, stern, and diligent.

The only time they'd move or acted on command was when they pointed their spears at him. Other than that, they just stood around. If he was a guard, he would likely be a bad one at that. He couldn't stand for who knows how many hours doing nothing. Speaking of doing nothing.

"I know you said you don't know the cave system, but can't we go further in? There might be treasure here."

"Or a monster that could kill us both," Rachel shot back. "Seriously, there's no telling what's in here if we keep going. With these waves going on, monsters hide in places you'd least expect them in. And I'm sure this cave has one. Which is why we're staying here."

She was right. Naofumi hadn't experienced a wave yet. And all his time playing dungeon crawling games taught him that caves were the hotspot for high leveled bosses.

But she was at level 28. That should be high enough to kill a monster or two. Just how many monsters are out there from these waves? The only information about these waves was when he was introduced to the king.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Shot," Rachel said.

"Can you tell me about these waves? Like, how they happen or why they happen."

She must have some answers.

"Sorry, I don't really know the how or the why."

"Really?"

"Well, only the common knowledge about them."

"And that would be?"

"Just that they happened over a thousand years ago."

A thousand years? How was everyone in the country still alive?

"I don't know the specifics," Rachel continued. "The Legend of the Heroes is known throughout the kingdom, it's common knowledge. After the first two waves hit, a legendary alchemist helped craft the four weapons. Since then, those who were deemed worthy of using those weapons protected the country from the waves."

"And this has been going on for a thousand years?"

"Yep. That's the gist of it. You have to ask a scholar about this kind of stuff. I'm just an apothecary."

This was starting to give him a headache. Waves, legendary weapons, heroes, this was all too much for him. How could Ren and the others just accept this and now question it further? Why were they chosen to be the heroes if they didn't even have the proper training? Wait a minute…

"One more question." If this stuff was common knowledge, Rachel should know this. "You said the weapons were used by those worthy. Then why were the others and I summoned here? Shouldn't it be someone from this world?"

Rachel gazed up at the ceiling, thinking, before gazing back at him. "500 years ago, the four heroes were killed in a wave. The kingdom couldn't wait until the next ones were chosen. So, they instead summoned heroes from somewhere else. Like I said, I only know the common stuff. A scholar would know a lot more about it."

That wasn't as helpful. It was better than what he heard from the castle. But not much.

And if these waves have been going on for a thousand years, then there was no way in hell he would go back home. Why did it have to be him, of all people? An otaku shut-in.

"How long has it been?" He asked. He just wanted to get out of here and rest at an inn.

"Maybe twenty minutes. Ten more and we can-"

"_GRRRRR."_

They both stilled. The growl sent waves of shivers down Naofumi's spine. The growl sounded like it came from a dog. But what kind of dog lives in a cave. A monster dog.

Rachel practically bounced back up and drew her ax. With her other hand, she summoned a flame bright enough to light the cave.

Naofumi was right. The growl did come from a dog. Only, it wasn't a normal dog. This dog had two heads instead of one. Their glowing red eyes pierced through his soul, sending another wave of shivers.

"Shit." Rachel thrust her hand forward and fire shot out like a flamethrower. The dog jumped back, crying in pain.

"Let's go!" Rachel grabbed Naofumi by his hand and they ran further into the cave.

"What was that?" Naofumi asked. Rachel had let go of his hand and ran behind her.

"A Cerberus! It's a monster that came from the waves!"

His first wave monster. He didn't get to read the cerberus' stats before running.

They ran further in, the barking of the cerberus growing closer and closer. This was far different than being chased by a regular dog. This dog had only one thing on its mind. To kill.

After what felt like an eternity of running, they entered a large chamber big enough to fit a mansion. Several more entrances decorated the walls leading to who knows where.

When they reached the center of the chamber, they spun and faced the entrance where they came from. When the cerberus entered, Naofumi got a good look at the monster. It had the appearance of a Doberman, only larger. Its sharp teeth were larger than his fingers.

"How do we kill it?" This being his first wave monster, he needed to know how to kill them. Now that he had a good look at the monster, he read its stat. Level 22. Six levels lower than Rachel. With her here, she should be able to kill it.

But even weak monsters could have the advantage.

"Just aim for the heads. That's their weak spot." Rachel gripped her ax tightly, waiting for the cerberus to attack.

The beast circled them, growling. Then it leaped, teeth bared.

They both jumped out of the way, barely avoiding the dog's bite. Rachel rushed forward and swung her ax down only for the beast to jump to the side.

"Shit!" She jumped back when the cerberus leaped forward again. Not having enough time to swing, she held the ax by the shoulder and knob. The Cerberus bit down on the body. They pushed back at each other, their strength matched.

"Shield Hero," Rachel called out. "Now's about a good time to be a hero and kill this thing before it kills me!"

"Give me a second!" Opening his skill tree, Naofimi scrolled through each skill only to have them locked. All he had was his leaf shield. Nothing. Damn it!

"Woah!" Rachel stumbled back on to the ground. She glared at the two heads. To show fear was to show weakness. She wasn't going to die in this cave.

Using her mind's eye, she drew the poison sigil. Once the sigil shattered, the cerberus glowed green. It let go and Rachel pushed back. The beast whined, stumbling from the poison. This time, Rachel was ready.

"Die you fucking dog!" She brought down the ax, decapitating one of the heads. Blood gushed out from where the head was.

Naofumi stared at the blood. When Rachel brought down her ax, time seemed to still for him. He'd seen violent stuff happen in video games. But he wasn't in a game. He could feel the earth beneath his feet. Feel pain when hit. Smell the air. Everything was real. Including the beast and the blood. The metallic scent coating the room.

The cerberus stumbled back, yowling in pain. The remaining head shook itself and barred its teeth. The poison spell had worn off.

"You're mine now you little shit." Rachel dashed and swung. The cerberus jumped to the side, causing Rachel to hit crystals on a wall. The crystals shattered, several shards landing near Naofumi.

He picked up one of them and an idea popped into his mind. If a blade of grass could make his shield transform, would the same happen with a crystal? Only one way to find out.

While Rachel held off the beast, he let his shield absorb the crystal. The skill tree popped up and a new shield was unlocked. The icon was that of a crystal jutting out of a rocky core. The crystal shield.

"Fuck!"

Naofumi looked up and to his horror, the beast had Rachel pinned to the ground. Even with one head, it was still powerful. It was biting down on the handle of Rachel's ax as she pushed it away. Or tried to. With her legs pinned to the floor, she couldn't roll away from the beast.

The beast reared its head back, letting go of the handle. Rachel's neck was exposed. One bite from that thing and it'll kill her.

"Crystal shield!"

Just as the beast was about to bite down on Rachel's neck, Naofumi ran into the beast, knocking it off of Rachel. The beast cried out in pain. When Naofumi pushed it back, he was surprised to see blood on his shield.

His shield had taken on a crystal-like appearance, glowing blue-green with spikes coming off of it. That's why there was blood on it.

"Thanks." Rachel stood and readied her ax again. "Time to end this. You got my back, Shield Hero?"

Did he? What reason did he have to protect Rachel? He could high tail it out of here and leave her to fight the beast. She was skilled with her ax and can wield fire magic.

But just a few seconds ago, she was pinned down, staring at death in the eye.

The air still had the metallic scent from the decapitated head. Had he not intervened and shoved the beast from Rachel, her blood would be what he would smell.

That, and she did save him from being sold off to bandits. She had every opportunity to leave him behind. But she didn't. She untied him, gave him food, and tugged him along to hide from the bandits. She didn't need to do any of that, yet she did. Was it out of kindness? Maybe.

Trust. A fragile thing. Like glass, it could easily break.

It could also be fixed.

"Yes." He would protect her the way she protected him.

"Good. Let's do this."

They both charged at the beast. Naofumi could see its HP was almost empty. All Rachel needed to do was decapitate the last head and it'll be over.

The beast leaped at them. Big mistake. Naofumi stepped in front of Rachel and held out his shield. The beast was pierced by the crystals. More blood came out. He shoved the beast away. It backed away with a limp.

"Now!"

Rachel heaved her ax up in the air and brought it down. The sickening sound of flesh meeting blade echoed through the chamber. Like before, blood gushed out of the beast, its head dropping to the floor. The body stumbled for a bit. It then collapsed.

The two stared at the body. This thing should not have existed. No creature like this should ever roam the land. But it did. And there were more out there.

"Finally." Rachel heaved out a breath, putting her ax away. "That's the last time I'll go to a cave unexpectedly."

Naofumi could agree to that, at least until he was required to go into one for a mission.

"You OK?" Rachel asked. She looked unharmed save for a few scratches and blood stains on her shawl.

"I'm good." He didn't feel anything in his body was damaged. Other than the adrenaline rush leaving, he was fine.

His status opened up, surprising him. He saw the EXP points going up. 75 EXP. His level jumped from 3 to 9.

That wasn't all he saw. On the upper left, he saw Rachel's HP and BP displayed below his. Did this mean she's his party member?

Rachel dug into her satchel and pulled out two vials containing a blue liquid. "Here," she handed one to him. "It's a potion a witch taught me how to make. It'll heal us." She uncorked the bottle and drank it. A soft blue glow surrounded her before disappearing. Her scratches were gone and she didn't look as tired.

Naofumi uncorked the vial and sniffed it. It smelled like blueberries with some mint. When he drank it, it tasted bitter but as it went down, there was a sweet aftertaste. His body glowed and the glow disappeared not long after. His HP was fully restored, along with Rachel's.

"Thanks for the help back there." Rachel said. "You saved my ass from becoming dog food." She smiled at him, and it was a genuine one.

No one has thanked him since coming here. She was the only one who didn't show any animosity or hatred toward him.

"No problem." This was something he was going to have to get used to. Back in his world, he lived in his own little world of video games, manga, light novels, and a decent understanding of human behavior. Had he met Rachel back home, maybe they could have become friends?

"Why help me?" That was something he needed to know. They were strangers. He even threatened her with blackmail yet she still helped.

Rachel looked at him like he asked a dumb question. "It was the right thing to do," She replied. "You needed help, and I helped. It's why I became an apothecary. To help people. You may have been an asshole to me, but I won't leave you behind to get killed."

She placed her trust on him, someone who is the thorn on the kingdom's side.

He didn't know how to respond. He just stared at the floor. Could trust easily be regained after being betrayed?

"Let's get out of here," Rachel's voice brought him back. She was making her way to the entrance where they came from. "The bandits should be gone by now."

She stood by the entrance, waiting for him.

Following her meant placing his trust in her. He had no real reason to trust her other than she saved him. She could very well be another Malty and betray him.

But… he was tired of being alone. Tired of all of this. If someone was with him, it'll make it all the more bearable.

Throwing caution to the wind, he followed her out.

* * *

When they exited the cave, the sun was still high in the air.

They broke through the forest and came back out onto the dirt trail.

"Looks like lady luck is on our side," Rachel said. "At this rate, we'll be back in Castle Town by sunset."

"It's still a long walk," Naofumi retorted. He wished he had done better in gym class.

"Quit your complaining. I have a tonic for soreness if it'll get you inspired to move."

What was inspiring about walking back who knows how many miles?

"As a reward for helping me, steak and wine are on me." Rachel pulled out some gold coins from her coin sack. "We'll be feasting like royalty tonight."

Steak and wine did sound good. The apple he had earlier didn't do much for his hunger, but the steak will.

"Come on," Rachel walked forward. "We're burning daylight here. The faster we go, the sooner we'll-"

An arrow whizzed by and struck the ground a few inches from their feet.

"What the-"

"They're here!"

"Get them!"

Bandits swarmed out of the forest with their weapons drawn. They were surrounded in no time, their backs against each other.

The swordsman with the dried blood stains on his blade stepped forward. His sword was pointed at Naofumi.

"You little fucks have been nothing but trouble."

"Said the prick who kidnapped us!" Rachel said with venom in her voice.

"I wouldn't be talking like that if I were you, little girl." He sneered at her. "You're surrounded. It was a mistake keeping you alive. We'll just take your money and the Shield Hero."

The other bandits agreed, cheering on the swordsman.

If fighting a monster dog wasn't bad enough, they now had to fight these bandits. Behind him, he could feel Rachel tense up. She couldn't get her ax at the risk of getting killed.

"Tie up the Shield Hero." The swordsman waved at one of his companions. A stout man came forward with rope.

"You will do no such thing!"

A black wolf broke through the bandits and stood in front of Naofumi. The stout man back away hurriedly at the sight of the wolf. The wolf growled, moving slightly forward.

Three more wolves broke through and stood in front of them. The bandits backed away only to move forward.

Naofumi could just barely make out the view from the bandits. Wolves growled and more showed up.

That was when he saw it. A man in armor was riding a very large wolf, as big as a horse.

"Who's he?" Naofumi asked. The man wore the same armor as the guards in Castle Town only his armor was black lined with gold. His bearded face had a cut going down his right cheek. He kept his blue eyes on the bandits. Behind him were other guards on horses.

"That's the captain of the royal guard," Rachel said.

"And the wolves?"

"They're his. He's a beastmaster."

"Beastmaster?"

"I'll tell you later when we're not surrounded by bandits."

"Now," the captain drew his sword, "I suggest you all drop your weapons. Or do you want to become a feast for my wolves?"

The bandits looked at the swordsman, waiting for his order. The swordsman looked back between the captain and Naofumi and Rachel. He sighed and dropped his sword. The others followed suit.

"Arrest them!" Guards swarmed in, arresting each bandit. When the last one was arrested, the captain climbed down from his wolf and approached them.

"Are you two OK? They didn't do anything."

"We're fine," Rachel said.

"Good. These bandits have been causing nothing but trouble. Thank the gods we finally caught them."

Up close, the captain had a regal look to him. Like he could pass as someone who belonged in the battlefield while also entertaining guest at a ball.

Naofumi made sure to keep his guard up. This man is close to the king. If he's anything like that old man, this guy could be just the same.

When the captain looked at him, he didn't see contempt in his eyes.

"Nothing happened, Shield Hero?"

What was his game? Surely he should've known what transpired after Malty accused him. Why is he acting concerned?

"I'm OK." He kept it short and simple. Nothing more, nothing less.

The captain nodded, accepting the answer. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. Two grey wolves came trotting. They were roughly smaller than the captain's wolf but large enough to carry a person.

"Let me get you two back to the city. Don't worry about them, they're tamed and wouldn't hurt a fly." He patted each wolf on the head before going back to his wolf.

The grey wolves kneeled down until they were on their bellies.

Naofumi looked at Rachel who only shrugged in response.

They climbed on the wolves and they rose up. Naofumi gripped on the wolf's fur, not wanting to fall off. This was so weird. It's one thing to be on a horse, but a wolf?

"Forward, men!" The captain's voice bombed.

And so they began their way back to Castle Town.


	7. Chapter 6

"This is so fucking good!"

Rachel cut a large portion of her steak and jammed it into her mouth. Naofumi watched while moving his steak across the plate with a fork. How could she have an appetite after what happened hours ago?

They were in a restaurant on the rich side of town. When they stepped in, the customers and even some of the waiters stared at them like they were some kind of creatures. Even after they cleaned themselves up, they still stood out.

Not that he was hungry at the moment. Earlier in the day, they had arrived back in Castle Town. Naofumi thought that would be the end of it. Just say his thanks to the Captain and leave. But no. Nothing was that simple.

Being that the bandits were wanted criminals and he and Rachel had encountered them, they were told to give a witness report. That alone took an hour. Rachel was there to speed things up. It was also where she learned his name. She won't be calling him Shield Hero, at least.

During the interrogation of the bandits, one of them broke and said that they were going to force Naofumi to join them via slave crest. To them, he was a powerful asset to have. The same for Rachel as she could make medicine for them. What they underestimated was the Captain showing up to save them.

By the time they left, the sun was beginning to set, coloring the sky in reds and oranges.

That was when Rachel had pulled him along to the restaurant.

"We deserve this after the shit we've been through." Those were her words as they entered the rich part of the city. Had this been a mission and he'd completed it, a feast sounds like a good reward. Now, he only wanted to go to bed.

"Hey." Rachel's voice pulled him back into the present. "What's up? You better eat that steak. I spend good money on that."

Now she sounds like an older sister telling her younger brother to behave. She was right. She paid for their meal. The least he could do was eat.

He sliced a good portion of the steak and ate it. The flavor was there but subdued. After the situation with Malty, food didn't have much of a taste. Probably because he was too busy being angry at the world to enjoy the nice things.

"There you go," Rachel said, wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "Just enjoy it."

If only it were that easy. He could enjoy this steak now only to have something bad happen to him tomorrow. Why enjoy something nice when something bad could happen? He knew he was being pessimistic. The Old Man told him so. How else was he supposed to survive in a world where most of the people hate him?

Well, most of them. Old Man and Rachel were the exceptions. Maybe even the Captain, being that he didn't treat him like dirt.

There was still the King, Malty, and the other heroes he still had to look out for. There was no telling when they'll pull something from their sleeves.

Only, they weren't here. It was just him and Rachel. He cut up another slice, dipping it in the sauce provided to them and ate it. The flavor was starting to become stronger.

"That was good." Rachel pushed away her empty plate and patted her belly. "Nothing says a job well done like eating steak." She reached for her glass of wine and drank some of it.

In his world, Naofumi was old enough to drink alcohol but never partake into it. The times he did drink wine he discovered he liked sweet wine, nothing too strong. This was red wine. Fuck it. He sipped it. It burned slightly but went down easy.

"Maybe I'll get some dessert." Rachel said. She signaled a waiter and asked for a slice of strawberry cake. When the cake came, Rachel dug into it without hesitation.

Naofumi wished he had her enthusiasm about food. Or just any enthusiasm. That all went away after Malty's betrayal.

When he finished his steak and some of the wine, he pushed the plate forward.

Across the table, Rachel watched Naofumi. He's been quiet ever since they got back from speaking with the Captain. He didn't even object to her pulling him along to the restaurant. He'd been nothing but a gloomy brat.

A gloomy brat who has the world against him. After their first encounter, she'd thought of him as just some stupid brat who thinks he can get what he wants by acting mean. She'd been dealing with assholes like that and she fought back. Whether it be extorting the rich or in Naofumi's case, attacking anyone who wants to harm her, she'll give it her all.

But now, she sees what Naofumi for who he is, just some lost kid. She didn't know a lot about the summoning of the Cardinal Heroes. She knew the previous ones were killed in a wave, hence why Naofumi and the others were summoned.

That in itself was what bothered her. Why take someone from their home and force them to fight? Clearly, Naofumi never saw a day of fighting. At least not like this. His world was a complete mystery to her. Maybe that's why she took an interest in him.

"So," she rested her arms on the table. "Any idea on what you're gonna do? You still have a world to protect, don't you?"

In response, Naofumi looked to the side. "I'll do what I can."

"And that is?"

"Whatever I can."

That wasn't much of an answer. He wouldn't make it out there, even with his shield.

… There was one thing that she could do.

"You're still looking for a party member, right?" She can't believe she was doing this.

"Yeah?" Rachel didn't miss the cautionary tone in his voice. He was still suspicious.

"Does that offer still stand?"

Naofumi thought he heard wrong. Just yesterday, she kicked him in the crotch and popped one of his balloon monsters. And now she wants to join him?

"What the catch." This was too simple. Why would she join him after he threatened to blackmail her?

"Well," Rachel leaned back on her chair. "I do travel a lot, aiding the sick and such. I have to get ingredients from different parts of the kingdom and I get a lot of money. Plus, there's the extortion that I do. I could easily make 10 gold coins in a day compared to some who work for weeks just to get one. And, I do have tonics that can help you if you get sick. Not a bad deal if I do say so myself."

It was a good deal alright. Too good.

By all means, he should be happy someone was willing to join them. Rachel being an apothecary does help a lot if they need to get healed. Her knowledge of medicine and plants is a valuable asset. That, and she has a weapon and can use fire magic.

It does beat the idea of getting a slave. He had to remember that she volunteered to join him.

He was placing his trust in her. If she so much as betrays that, he'll leave her behind. Until then…

"Fine. You can join me."

"Great!" Rachel stood from her chair, left a few copper coins on the table for the waiter, and pulled Naofumi along. "Let's go back to Traverse Inn. I can get us a room with two beds."

Naofumi didn't have any idea what he was getting himself into. This woman is unpredictable, is foul-mouthed, and scams people into giving her more money. She was no here.

Then again, he wasn't either.

* * *

She couldn't sleep.

Rachel tossed and turned in her bed, trying to find a comfy position to sleep on. But nothing worked. Giving up, Rachel stood and walked over to the desk the room had provided for them. Behind her, Naofumi was asleep on the other bed. She could hear his soft breathing in the silence.

She carefully and slowly pulled back the chair and sat down. Below her, her satchel sat against one of the table's legs. She pulled out her mortar and pestle, some herbs and a bottle of honey.

This had been a tradition of hers when she couldn't sleep. Make enough medicine until she got really tired and go back to sleep. It worked a lot, so it should work now.

She grounded the herbs and poured in the honey, mixing the two until the substance was ready. She took out an empty vial and poured in the honey.

She repeated the process until four vials were full. Putting away her supplies, she shifted a few things in her satchel until she came across her apothecary manual.

It was standard for an apothecary to carry a medical journal detailing every known sickness known to man. She had every disease memorized though she did go through it just to be safe.

Taking it out, she flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

It was a drawing of a dragon. It wasn't colored, but she remembered the stories she has heard describing the colors. Some exaggerated but she could understand why. Vibrant colors of blue, purple, gold, and orange. Vibrant wings that could easily blow you back with one flap.

The Peacock Dragon.

When Naofumi had asked her why she wanted to join, she left this part out. It wasn't she didn't trust him with it, she herself wasn't sure if she could even fight the dragon.

If she could get a handful of its scales…

It was a dream that was close yet far away.

Shutting the book, she put it back in her satchel and climbed back into bed. The image of the dragon was in her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A shield transforms.

An ax cleaves.

A dagger cuts deep.

An arrow pierces through.

A tome expels magic.

A sword slices.

A staff summons the dead.

A greatsword swings.

Together, they will save the world.

* * *

**New Party Member!**

**Name: Rachel Addlehart.**

**LV: 28**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 22**

**Class: None**

**Occupation: Apothecary**

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you all so much for reading Kingdom! I can't thank you all from the bottom of my heart!**

**KirusunaSOA: To answer your question, no he is not the captain that lead the soldiers during the first wave. He will make an appearance but the captain is the beastmaster. And his armor is different than the others**

**Victor John Foxfire**: **Rachel is human. And this is an AU story which means some things will change from the original canon. Such as the inclusion of beastmasters. And rest assured, I take in every criticism to heart. I know not everyone will like my story and that is fine. Any response positive or negative I take into consideration.**


	8. Chapter 7

Naofumi watched as Old Man looked at Rachel. His gaze traveled up and down her body. For her part, Rachel just stood there with a blank expression on her face.

From his seat in the blacksmith shop, Naofumi knew Old Man was assessing Rachel's appearance, mentally noting her body size. He'd even asked her to hold her ax and stand in an attacking pose.

"Hmph." Old Man nodded. "Looks like you got yourself a good member, kid. And an apothecary at that, too! Looks like you took my advice."

Naofumi didn't want to boost his ego, so he just nodded.

"I'm surprised you were able to get a party member to begin with." Old Man went back behind the counter. "Especially a tough little lady like her."

"Aw, thanks!" Rachel smiled smugly, proud that someone acknowledged her attributes.

"So what does this mean for me?" Naofumi stood.

"It means," Old Man said, "that you have a better chance of surviving and help fight back against the waves. You're lucky you even got someone to agree with you."

"Well, she didn't kill me in my sleep, so that makes her trustworthy."

Rachel scoffs. "As if I have a reason to kill you. I'd rather not have a bounty on my head, thank you very much."

"I see you two are getting along." Old Man chuckled.

Naofumi sighed inwardly.

He had taken Rachel here in hopes of getting her a new ax, not talk about him. When he pressed the subject onto them both, Old Man said her ax was in great condition. In fact, he said it was a very high-quality ax.

No doubt Rachel got the ax from the gold coins she scammed.

"Alright, let's stop with the jokes," Naofumi said. "Do you know any places I can grind and get materials from?" After their encounter with the cerberus, he needed to upgrade his shield with many skills as possible. The Crystal Shield was a perfect start since it can be used offensively and defensively. But that wasn't enough.

With so many skills the shield can possess, he wants to get as many before the wave comes.

"Well," Old Man took out a map, "since you're still inexperienced, there are monsters here that you can kill." He pointed to a grassy part of the mad. "That should be easy enough for you, especially with that new skill you got."

"I've been here before." Rachel leaned forward to the map. "The monsters there are weak and easy to kill. Great spot for ingredients, bad spot where monsters wait."

"So, I can get more experience and get ingredients? Talk about killing two birds with one stone." Naofumi sat back down. If they were going to travel across the country, they would need money. Rachel had enough for them to buy supplies, eat food, and stay at inns. When he asked how many gold coins she had, she surprised him by showing her coin pouch.

At least they won't be starving for a good while.

"I think you two can make it." Old Man tucked the map away. "Especially if you two took down that cerberus. It was a good thing the Captain was there to rescue you both when those bandits showed."

Naofumi thought back to the imposing yet kind looking man dressed in black armor. He especially remembered the wolves.

"Hey." Rachel and Old Man turned to him. "Rachel said he was a beastmaster. What's that?"

"I keep forgetting you're still new here." Old Man Said. "A beastmaster is someone who can communicate and command with animals."

"Animals?"

"Any kind." Rachel nodded. "The Captain can commune with wolves. There are others who can commune with cats, birds, among others. Pretty cool, if you ask me."

"This captain," Naofumi said. "Is he famous or something because he's a beastmaster?"

"More than that," Old Man said. "The man has captured bandits and monsters with his wolves. He earned his spot not because he's a beastmaster, but because of the work he's done."

"Is he close to the king?" If he was, Naofumi would try to avoid him as much as possible.

"The Captain serves the king and queen." Old Man replied. "His duty is to protect the citizens of the kingdom. He cares not for fame."

"Even I heard of him," Rachel said. "Back in my village, I heard stories about him. He took down an entire mercenary group. Twenty of them with just him and eight wolves."

The way they spoke of him, they'd think he was invincible. Naofumi didn't see the Captain in action, but if his loyalty to the kingdom was true, then maybe he wasn't so bad.

Then again, the same can be said about Malty.

He hasn't heard much of her or the other heroes. He was lucky he hadn't run into any of them while staying here. It was bad enough to hear the rumors from the people as well as receiving their heated glares, he didn't want any of the other heroes to goad him.

Better to stay hidden than come in weapons blazing and save a village.

"We ready?" Rachel asked.

Naofumi nodded. "Thank for the info, Old Man."

"Sure thing, kid." Old Man replied.

"Old Man?" Rachel looked at Old Man. "He's not that old. A little rough around the edges, but not old. What's your name? I don't want to call you Old Man."

"Finally, someone with manners. It's Elhart."

"Nice to meet you, Elhart."

Naofumi noticed Rachel's eyes glimmer.

Is she… flirting with him?!

"Let's go." He didn't wait for Rachel to follow.

"Hey, wait up you brat!"

* * *

"Your shield has freaking spikes for gods' sake. I can't keep doing all the work for you."

Naofumi ignored Rachel's spiteful criticism and gathered the fleshy bits of the mush monsters they killed. Or rather, the ones_ he_ killed.

They went to the spot Elhart told them about and sure enough, more of those balloon monsters showed up. Rachel had popped a few of them and left the rest to him. He summoned the Crystal Shield and impaled as many as he could all while Rachel watched.

It took about ten minutes just to kill them. There were ten in total. But he got enough experience to go from level 9 to 11. Not much, but it'll do for now.

When the sun began to set, they set up camp by a river. Rachel was mixing something with her mortar and pestle while he watched. She chided him about him pulling his weight while mixing.

"The more you upgrade that shield of yours, the easier it will be for both of us." She put away her crushed herbs in a small pouch in her satchel.

"Who's the one with the shield here?" Naofumi asked.

"And who's the one who's stronger than you?" Rachel retorted.

Huffing a sigh, Naofumi grabbed a handful of mush flesh and fed them to his shield. New abilities showed on his skill tree. One caught his interest.

"Blending ability?"

Like blending herbs.

Rachel was engrossed in her mixing she didn't notice when Naofumi took some herbs from her satchel. With her using her mortar and pestle, he settled for two rocks. He grounded the herbs, careful to not let any of them slip from the rock. Once that was done, he rolled up some leaves into a cup and put the herbs in it. He got up, made his way to the river, scooped a handful of water and poured it into the cup.

"Hey, Rachel."

Rachel looked up and Naofumi handed her the cup.

"My shield got an ability. I can mix stuff now. I used some of your herbs to make this. It's supposed to cure light colds. Can you look at it?" It was better to ask an expert at this kind of stuff.

Rachel took the cup and looked inside it. She wafted in the scent.

"Which of my herbs did you use?" She looked back up at him.

"Uh…" Crap. What did they look like?

"Did you use rosemary, basil, or chives?"

"I used the…"

"Do you even know the difference between different types of herbs?"

His silence spoke volumes.

Rachel sighed. "While I'm sure this can cure a light cold, it's best to actually know which herbs and other plants to use when making medicine."

"But I just mixed some of your herbs and made medicine. Isn't that enough?"

"No." She reached into her satchel and took out a book. She patted the space on the log next to her. "Come. I can teach you some stuff about being an apothecary."

Really? He had it rough as a college student, now this?

Instead of arguing, he sat down next to her.

After an hour of teaching, Rachel put her medical journal away. "I'd expect you to remember which types of plants and herbs and flowers and other stuff to use from now on."

A torrent of terminology rushed through his head. This was just like his college classes. Only worse.

"How do you expect me to memorize all this stuff?"

"If I can do it, so can you."

It was maddening, having to memorize a lot. When he had asked why he couldn't use his own concoction to cure a cold, she explained in full detail how he used basil when he should've used whistleroot. When he said that type of herb didn't exist in his world, she explained even further on what whistleroot can cure.

Apparently, basil had many usages, including curing head colds. But Rachel explained that if he wanted his medicine to take full effect, he would have to use medicine that was meant for said flu.

"While I don't doubt your shield's ability to make medicine, it's best to be safe than sorry."

She had a point.

He got up from the log, went back to his spot and lied down on the ground. Lazing around after a lecture always helped. Had he been back home, he would've played some video games or read a light novel. Here, he only had the sky to look at.

Hearing the grinding of herbs, he pushed himself back up.

"What made you want to be an apothecary?" He'd only known her for a few days and doesn't really know much about her other than her job.

Rachel stopped her mixing. "Why the sudden interest?"

"You like what you do, that's obvious to anyone. Why pick that career?"

With a sigh, Rachel set aside her mortar and pestle.

"I like helping people. I'm the eldest of three. When my brother or sister gets sick, I would buy them medicine from our local medicine shop. I like seeing their happy faces when they're cured. They would get gloomy and tired if sick and I would do my best to help them."

A small smile played at her lips. "One day, an apothecary was visiting and when I went to buy medicine for my dad, I saw a man in the corner of the store making medicine. I asked him was he was doing and he said he was making a salve for a rash. I then asked if I could watch. He said yes and I watched. There was something fascinating watching someone make medicine. Medicine that can cure people.

"I was only nine at the time, but after that, I knew I wanted to be like him. An apothecary. So, I trained to be one and got my license. And here I am now."

That was… actually heartwarming. She wanted to help those who were sick. Nothing made her smile more than helping people.

Naofumi was kind of jealous of that enthusiasm. Rachel had the luxury of having a free life to be whatever she wanted while he would probably be stuck with an office job.

To each their own.

"Alright," Rachel leaned back on the log. "Your turn. Tell me something about yourself."

What was there to say? That he was a shut-in otaku who played video games and read manga and light novels? She wouldn't understand anything he would say, let alone get the concept behind video games.

Looking back at his life before this, he didn't do much.

"Just a university student." That was the truth.

"What were you studying?"

"Business."

"You don't seem like the business type, especially with that babyface of yours."

"Enough with the babyface comments!"

She shrugged. "I call them as I see them."

He lied back down and turned his back towards her. "I'm going to bed."

"Suit yourself."

He was already regretting taking her along.

'_Getting along' my ass, Old Man. _

* * *

A week came and went. The days to the wave were getting short. It won't be long before it happens.

During that week, Naofumi and Rachel stayed in a small village. Lute Village is a fairly small place with both residents and passing merchants.

Their stay there proved plentiful to not only them but to the villagers as well. When they had arrived, Naofumi had many new skills, he lost track of how many. And with the ores they got from the mine (after battling another cerberus and this time absorbing parts of it), he had enough to sell for a pretty good price.

As for Rachel, she went around the village selling her medicine.

Now, the two were back in Castle Town visiting Elhart.

"Here you go." Elhart handed Rachel her new ax. "Took me a while, but it's top notch quality."

"Perfect, thanks Elhart."

"Don't mention it, little lady."

"Quit with the flirting." From his seat, Naofumi had to watch them with boredom. He didn't want to watch these two flirt with each other, especially in front of him.

Rachel and Elhart laughed at his apathy. "Aw, is the little boy embarrassed by two people flirting?" Rachel made kissing noises.

"I'm not embarrassed!" He was, but they didn't need to know that.

"Let's stop torturing him for now, shall we," Elhart said.

Stowing away his irritation, Naofumi went up to Elhart. "Listen, we have enough coins on us for a lot of supplies for the wave. Can you give me some armor?"

"Armor, you say." Elhart walked to a wall displaying various amounts of armor meant for knights. "How about something like this?" He pointed to an armor set meant for a giant. He'd get sucked in and never come out if he put that on.

"That's not really my style, actually." He said.

"No kidding." Rachel said. "You'd be more useless if you can't move around in that thing."

"Can it with your insults."

Rachel ignored him. "How about something light he can carry around but still be durable."

That sounded like a good deal.

"No problem," Elhart said. "I can whip up something special for him."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It should be ready for him by tomorrow afternoon. Come back then and I'll have it ready."

"Thanks! We owe you one!"

"I'm right here you know." Naofumi waved a hand. "Don't I have a say in this?"

He hated being left out like he was just some straggler.

"Do you want special armor or not?" Elhart shot back.

"Fine. Just get it done quickly."

* * *

_The next day._

"Well? What do you think?"

Elhart was beaming with confidence as Naofumi looked over the new set of armor he was wearing. The man was practically a ball of sunshine. Even his smile was shiny.

"Doesn't this make me look like a typical villain?"

The improvement to his usual wear was impressive, he had to admit. Padded arm and hip protectors were made from the porcupine that had attacked him a few days ago along with the fur of a rabbit lining the edges. It even lined the collar of his new cloak. Elhart even made a metal chest plate that fit over his leather under armor.

Still, he didn't like looking more villainous.

"I call it Barbarian Armor." Elhart smile's broadened. "You rock, kid. You look like a real bandit."

Not the look he was aiming for.

"I'm supposed to be a hero, you know."

"Hate to break it to you," Rachel said, "but you're not exactly a hero in everyone's eyes."

Why did she have to be right all the time?

"Well, you did make it for me. It'd be a shame not to wear it."

"That's the spirit kid!" He patted him on his back. Too roughly. He staggered forward a bit. He really needed to build some muscles after this.

A horse's neigh pierced through the air. The three of them turned and looked through a gap between two buildings. A throng of people were gathered outside, watching the Captain and the other royal guards ride through. Even through the crowd, Naofumi saw the Captain riding on his black wolf.

There was an ambiance of tension in the air.

"They're scared of the incoming wave." Rachel pointed out. "Can't blame them. The monsters can be pretty scary."

Naofumi watched as the last of the guards trailed along, disappearing from his vision. The crowd began to disperse, going back to their homes or businesses. He heard the slamming of many doors. This was his first wave. If the townsfolk were scared enough as it is, would he be brave enough to fight them?

"If only I knew when and where the damn thing is gonna begin. That way I can come up with some kind of plan."

Elhart and Rachel looked at each other before turning their attention back to him.

"You didn't know?" Rachel canted her head a bit.

"Know what?" What else about this damn world didn't he know?

"I can believe it," Elhart said. "You mean nobody told you anything about the clock?"

"What clock?"

* * *

Naofumi stared in awe at the Dragon Hourglass. The nun who had ushered them in bowed and left.

"Holy crap." Rachel stood next to him. "This thing is huge."

Huge would be an understatement. Anything said about this would be an understatement. Seeing something like this in a JRPG was different than actually seeing it.

Naofumi narrowed his eyes, taking in every inch of the floating hourglass surrounded by golden dragons. This world still continues to surprise him. There's no way anything else could top this.

"Now what?" Rachel asked. She looked back and forth between the hourglass and Naofumi. "Do you just go up there or something?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." He stepped forward, going up the few steps leading up to the hourglass.

When he set foot on the dais, the core of his shield glowed.

"What the?" The glowing grew brighter to which he had to shield his eyes. A beam of green light shot from his shield and struck the hourglass. His status menu opened and above, he saw the numbers.

**20:12:47.  
20:12:46**

"It's counting down to the wave?" The numbers ticked by, telling him of the impending doom that is to come.

"What happened?" Rachel came up to him on the dais.

"We have twenty hours until the wave hits." Twenty hours of fighting who knows what. Monsters. Fiends. The unknown.

For the first time coming here, he was scared. Scared for him, for Rachel, and for the world.

"Is that Naofumi I see?"

That voice. The dread he was feeling was squashed down with anger.

He turned around and sure enough, there was Motoyasu and… Malty.

The woman dressed in her adventure gear stood behind Motoyasu, observing him, a smirk on her face.

Damn that woman and everything she stood for! Even after all the things she has done to him, she's still enjoying his downfall. This was nothing but a game to her.

"Dude, what's this?" Motoyasu stepped forward. "You're not still fighting with that flimsy equipment, are you?" There was no mistaking the teasing tone in his voice.

"The Spear Hero," Rachel said.

He didn't need this. He didn't need to see the reminder of how his life turned to shit. The more he dwelled on it, the more his anger increased. It started at his center and expanded through every part of his body. It was desperate to lash out, to escape. But Naofumi wouldn't let it. Not now.

He descended down the steps, ignoring them.

"Hey!" Malty spoke. "Sir Motoyasu is talking to you, Naofumi!"

"Fuck off."

Malty inhaled sharply. Good. Now she knew how he truly felt about her.

He almost made his way out only to stop when Ren and Itsuki showed up. Itsuki's eyes widened upon seeing him. Ren, however, remained stoic, not letting his face betray any emotion.

Perfect. He had to deal with these two. He was in a room full of assholes.

"Hi there."

Now what?

Naofumi turned and saw Motoyasu holding Rachel's hands. Rachel herself was taken aback by Motoyasu's lack of personal space.

"I'm Motoyasu Kitamura, the Spear Hero. What's your name?" He smiled, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Uh, Rachel." She leaned back away from him.

This only made Motoyasu lean forward. "Such a cute name for a cute girl."

Naofumi could practically see sparkles coming off of Motoyasu. Did this guy think with his dick first and his brain second?

"A girl as cute as you shouldn't have to wield an ax. Allow me to protect you from now on."

The anger was close to exploding. It pounded in his heart, beating anger through his veins. This bastard was trying to take Rachel away. Not if he had anything to say about it.

Luckily for him, Rachel drew her hand back.

"Thanks, but I can fight my own battles. Let's get out of here, Naofumi."

The anger began to recede.

"Wait, you're with him?!" Motoyasu's face was a mixed bag of emotions.

"Yeah. What's it to you?"

"You've heard the rumors about him, haven't you?"

Rachel frowned. "I did. But I'm not one to judge."

Motoyasu wanted to say more, but Rachel cut him off by walking away.

Naofumi followed, not looking at the other heroes.

"See you when the wave hits." Itsuki averted his gaze.

"Just stay out of our way." Ren had his eyes closed.

Rachel purposely bumped into him with her shoulder. "Brat."

They didn't look back as they left.

Outside, the anger went away. What happened back there was done. But the idea of having to run into them again only made the anger come back.

"Calm down." Rachel said. She saw how he clenched his fists. "We have a wave to deal with. Focus your anger on killing monsters."

Taking in her words, Naofumi willed the anger to die down until it was nothing more than a tiny flame.

20 hours until the ordained battle.

No matter what, they will fight.


	9. Chapter 8

They say death has a face.

It could be the face of a man with cold eyes staring you down.

It could be the face of a woman with kindness in her eyes.

Sometimes death doesn't have a face.

It could be a boulder perched precariously on a rocky edge waiting for an unfortunate soul to pass by.

It could be a tsunami what washes away any traces of a coastal city.

The closest Naofumi came to death was his grandmother dying.

He was twelve when she died. When he was younger, he believed his grandmother would live forever. She always had a smile on her face and brought ice cream in the summer for him and Akito.

Everything about her made him feel at peace. There was a sense of comfort and peace when she was around. If he was having a bad day, she would be there to listen and bake sweets afterward. "Sweets cure any bad feelings," she used to say.

She was the personification of comfort.

That was why when she passed away, Naofumi didn't want to believe it. No matter how many times he told himself it wasn't the truth, the cold reality was that people die.

Back in his home, a shrine was put in the living room. The picture of his grandmother was perched on a small mantle with incense sticks ready to be lit.

The years after death, Naofumi would sometimes light incense and say a prayer. They became less frequent when he entered high school and eventually college, but he made the time to say a prayer.

There was one day in particular when he asked her for something. It had been his first year in college. Akito was going through his rebellion phase and his parents were at a loss on what to do with him. Seeing this made Naofumi fearful that this could forever put a hindrance in his family's ability to bond.

As he was ready to leave for school, he saw the shrine and went to it. His grandmother's smiling face stared back at him as if waiting for him to say something. She was an easy woman to talk with. If you had something bothering you, she was ready to listen.

"Hey grams," he said. The next words died before they reached his throat. What could he say to her? She wasn't here to offer any advice or bake cookies.

"Do you have any idea how to fix this?"

Silence was his answer. A dreary silence.

"Guess you can't answer, huh?" A short laugh escaped from his mouth. Awkward moments always made him laugh uncomfortably.

Once out in the street on his way to the train station, it dawned on him that he would have to find a way to do things on his own. His grandmother can't fix anything anymore. It was all up to him.

And fix it he did. He stopped his brother from going down the wrong path and the strain that was there was now gone. Things got better. It was for the best for everyone.

So how could he fix this? How could he fix a wave of monsters whose only intent is to destroy? He couldn't ask his grandmother because she might not have an answer for this.

The town square was mostly quiet. A few adventures and fighters were gathered in their groups. 2 hours were left until the wave hit. That meant 2 hours of peace. Or something akin to peace. Now he understood the meaning of the calm before the storm.

Some of the adventurers cast glances at him before shifting their gaze. They still didn't trust him. Not that he cared at the moment. It wasn't his job to be liked.

"Think we can do this?"

Behind him, Rachel was sitting on the ground mixing a potion. Apart from her medicine and salves, she did know how to make potions meant to act fast in the moment of battle. She was already on her fifth vial of healing potion.

"Not sure if anyone is ready, really." What little knowledge he knew about the waves, he knew that even when they did happen, the people themselves could be ready to fight or not. All that mattered were the heroes coming in to save the day.

Time ticked by and more people showed up. Naofumi spotted Ren a few of his party members. Motoyasu was there was well with his harem of teammates (save for one guy). They had the advantage of having members on their team. With only him and Rachel, there wasn't much they could do other than act as backup.

**01:53:14**

Huffing a sigh, he sat down next to Rachel. There was no point in standing for 2 hours, his legs would get weak.

"I'm sure this wave won't be that bad." Rachel said as she began working on her sixth potion.

"What do you mean?" Naofumi asked.

"The waves can be very… random. Some waves are easy to get through, some are not. Some happen once a month, some don't happen for months or even years. No one knows really how these waves operate."

This was the first time he was hearing about his. No doubt the king didn't want him to know about the history of the land.

"What did you do when the waves hit?"

Rachel corked the vial shut. "I mostly hid in villages with good enough defense. Even when I was younger and the waves hit my village, we were well prepared and had plenty of war veterans to back us up."

Naoufimi looked at the gathering crowd of adventurers. Each group balanced each other out with their weapons. When a sword couldn't slice, an arrow was ready to pierce. When a physical attack wouldn't work, magic was there to take care of it.

The only magic they had was his different skills with the shield and Rachel's fire and poison magic. It wasn't enough, but it will do.

Rachel put her vials away and scooted closer to Naofumi. "Let's enjoy the peace while it lasts."

Agreeing with her, he stopped looking at the countdown and looked up at the sky. The dark blue sky was beginning to lighten and the clouds took on an orange hue with the rising sun. It reminded him a lot of the times he woke up early and watched the sky. He shut out the noise of the people around him and for a moment, he was back in Japan.

A bird soared through the sky, cutting the air with its wings. If he could turn into a bird, he would do it in a heartbeat and get out of here. Fly as far as his wings would take him. It didn't matter if he ended up in a desert or a mountain region, so long as it was far from here, any place would be fine. Far from prying eyes and intense glares.

As the minutes passed, more people showed until half the town square was filled with adventurers ready for the wave. They put themselves at risk for something they didn't have any control over.

It wasn't like how it was with his brother. To an extent, he did have control. He stepped in and changed Akito's life for the better. It may not work with all families, but theirs were the lucky ones.

This, however, was beyond his control as an individual, let alone a hero. If the waves have been going on for a thousand years, how could he stop them? Just kill the monsters and wait until the next one?

Silently, he cursed whatever being brought him here. They should've picked someone else, not him. As selfish as it was to want to switch places with someone from his world, it didn't matter.

Selfishness can be a good thing, sometimes.

**01:00:25**

1 hour left.

Was he going to be nervous all the time when a wave hit? If what Rachel said was true, the next wave might not come for months. Maybe this wave will be a short one and he can take the time to figure out how to get back home. This is a magical world, there has to be something that can take him back.

Huffing out another sigh, he leaned back slightly.

"You OK?" Rachel asks, staring at him. Her blue eyes were inviting this time, not hard and cold with rage.

"I guess?" What was the proper response to this? 'Oh, I'm fine, actually. I can't wait to kill monsters for a world that hates me.'

"We'll get through this, don't worry." Rachel reached out and patted his knee making Naofumi flinch. The last woman to so much as touch him was Malty.

Rachel felt his body stiffen and withdrew her hand. "Sorry."

"It's nothing." It was more than nothing. He just had to remind himself that not every woman is Malty.

There was an awkward silence between them. Naofumi didn't think of Rachel as a friend or an enemy. Yes, she may not be as inviting as most people and can be rude sometimes, but so was he. They didn't oppose each other like magnets.

**00:25:14**

Naofumi stood and stretched. Never was he good at P.E. nor was he ever into sports. He had no idea how he was going to fight a horde of monsters. Rachel did have the advantage over him being a higher level than he was and having experience with weapons.

Beside him, Rachel stood as well and stretched.

"Almost time." She took one last look into her satchel and gave him a thumbs up. "Ready."

They waited until it was almost time.

**00:00:24**

Everyone around him started to draw their weapons.

**00:00:20**

"We got this." Rachel smiled at him.

It was not reassuring, but it helped somewhat.

**00:00:04**

**00:00:03**

**00:00:02**

**00:00:01**

**00:00:00**

In an instant, the blue sky turned red. Fear clutched at Naofumi's heart. If this happened back in Japan, this would surely be the sign of the apocalypse. The people of this country has gone through this for a millennium. This was nothing new to them.

An orange aura surrounded them. Rachel let out a small gasp. Naofumi didn't even have time to react before a white flash blinded him.

The flash dissipated and Naofumi blinked until his vision cleared.

"Where are we?"

They were standing near a rocky ledge overlooking a path leading to a clearing. Were they here before?

"Naofumi, look!" Rachel pointed to the sky and that's when he saw it.

It was like seeing a whirlpool, only in the sky. Purple miasma clung to the whirlpools which blended into blues and greens. This was it.

"The Wave of Catastrophe."

Black figures started falling from the whirlpools. They stopped falling and instead started flying. The more that came, a buzzing sound grew louder and louder.

"Shit, not these things!"

The more that came, it became easier to see what they were. Some kind of monster wasp.

"Wasps?"

"They're so freaking annoying. Not only do they kill, but they also destroy crops."

With no crops, then people will starve. If these monster wasps were part of the threat, Naofumi didn't want to know the other part.

"Let's go," a voice rang out.

Below them, Naofumi saw the other three heroes and their party members running off into the direction of the whirlpools.

As much as he didn't want to fight with those assholes, what choice did he have?

"Let's follow them."

He turned back and started to run only to have Rachel grab him by the shoulder.

"Wait! Look there." She pointed into the horizon. "Lute Village!"

That's right, Lute Village was around this area.

"Do you think they evacuated?" he asked.

His answer came in the sound of a flare shooting into the sky.

Shit.

"Why did they wait?"

"They're probably waiting for the knights to show up." Rachel said. "It's gonna take them a while to get there, though."

All those people will die if the knights don't get there in time.

Should he go to the center of the wave or Lute Village?

"Follow your heart, Naofumi."

The words of his grandmother rang through his mind.

"What do you mean, grandma?" He was five, wearing his pajamas and clutching a broken toy. It was a toy from his favorite anime he watched every Saturday morning. He'd been over the moon when his parents bought it for him.

Hours and hours he spent playing with it and taking it everywhere he went. It was his greatest treasure. One day, however, the leg snapped off and he started crying. His favorite toy was broken. He didn't even know if he could fix it.

Instead of going to his parents, he went to his grandma. She was in the living room working on a Sudoku puzzle when he tugged on her leg. After explaining what happened, he said he didn't want his parents to know because they'll get mad.

He knew lying was a bad thing, but he didn't want to get into trouble.

When his grandmother told him to follow his heart, he didn't know what she meant. What did his heart want? To tell the truth? To tell his parents?

She smiled at him and gestured to the kitchen where his parents were cooking dinner. Lying was bad. Telling the truth is good. That's what his heart said

He went into the kitchen and told his dad. His dad kneeled down and patted him on the head and said it was alright. He took the toy into the garage, pulled out his toolkit and fixed the toy in no time.

Happy to have his toy fixed, Naofumi hugged his father and ran back into his room. In the end, no one was mad. All because he followed his heart.

Back in present time, he took in his grandmother's words. He followed his heart.

"We're going to Lute Village."

"Right behind you."

They raced into the direction of the village, hoping they weren't too late.

* * *

Upon reaching the village, they were shocked to see monsters already running around, weapons at the ready.

This day marked the first time Naofumi saw a zombie.

The zombie in question wore big armor, concealing its body save for the face where the skull was prominent with bits of flesh still clinging onto the bone. And it was about to bring down a sword on a villager.

Without thinking, Naofumi rushed in and brought up his shield. The sword clanged against the shield, making Naofumi's arm to shake and almost collapse from the pressure. He pressed forward, driving back the sword away.

Just when he thought he wouldn't have enough strength left Rachel came up from behind and decapitated it. She wasted no time stomping on the skull, shattering it.

She kneeled down and help the villager up to his feet. "Are you alright, sir."

The man, shaking from fear, managed to nod.

This wasn't good. Naofumi couldn't protect everyone here. They should've evacuated when they had the chance. Not wait for the knights to show up. If he wants to kill the monsters, the villagers would have to be somewhere safe.

"Rachel, help evacuate the villagers to the mines. It's safe there."

Rachel looked at him stunned. "What about you? You can't kill these things all by yourself!"

"I know that. That's why I'm going to lure them away from the villagers. Just go!"

Rachel looked like she wanted to say more but didn't. Still carrying her ax, she ran down the street.

"Everyone! Go to the mines! Let's go! Hurry!"

With that taken care of, Naofumi ran to the center of the village. He memorized the place during their visit in case they needed to go back for any reason. It's a good thing he did, otherwise, he would've been lost. And more villagers would've died.

Ducking between two houses, he made it to the center only to nearly run into a zombie. It had its back turned to him so Naofumi dashed around it. It growled loudly, altering its brethren.

Villagers held pitchforks and makeshift swords, blocking and attacking the undead and monster wasps.

Naofumi held up his shield to his head and made a mad dash forward, knocking away the wasps. Villagers gasped at his presence. He even heard one of them say hero. He was no hero.

A zombie fighting against three villagers was pushed back, giving Naofumi the chance to rear back his arm and punch the zombie in the jaw. It did little damage, but he got its attention.

"Everyone!" Naofumi yelled. "Get out of here! I'll keep them occupied!"

He turned and ran, yelling at the zombies. Daring to look back, they were following him. He would be lying if he wasn't scared at the sight of them.

More villagers were cowering in fear as he ran by. He put up shields to protect them. It will give them enough time to leave. He just hoped these people weren't idiots and listened to him.

The sound of shuffling steps and buzzing became louder with each step he took. He must've had half of the monsters on his tail.

"Damnit!" How was he supposed to fight them all? This was a bad idea, but the villagers were safe for the time being. He still needed to draw in the other monsters that weren't in the center of the village. But how?

He looked around and saw a wooden bell tower. He could barely make out the bell and the gas lamp hanging next to the bell.

Bell. Gaslamp. Gas fuel. Fire.

That's it!

A beacon.

Naofumi mentally gave himself a pat on the back.

A house to his side collapsed and was on fire. Perfect. He pivoted in the direction of the burning house. A wooden beam was slanted against the remaining structure, leaving a big enough gap underneath for him to slide under.

_Please don't let me catch on fire please don't let me catch on fire please don't let me catch on fire._

Naofumi dove and managed to slide under the beam. The wasps that were chasing him back away from the flames.

Taking the advantage, Naofumi jumped through the flames. Landing on his feet, he held out a lit torch to the wasps.

"Follow me, you fucking zombies!"

He ran to the bell tower, ready to-

Naofumi jumped back when a sword nearly collided with his face. A group of zombies had him surrounded. They were huddled together, leaving no room for him to run through.

"Fuck!" This wasn't supposed to happen! His plan shouldn't have gone south so quickly.

The zombies pressed forward, not even flinching at the sight of the wooden torch.

This was it. He was done fore. If he used Shield Prison, the zombies would only attack the prison until it breaks. Or worse, the zombies would attack more villagers if he was stuck inside.

Why? Why!

Was he wrong to have followed his heart?

No. When a group of wasps was about to attack a mother and her child, he didn't hesitate to put them in a shield prison. The kid was so small and the mother was still young. Their lives didn't need to be cut short.

Was that why he did it? Because they didn't deserve to die? Because none of these villagers didn't deserve to suffer through wave after wave?

They were people with hopes and dreams. Hopes and dreams that would've been cut short had he and Rachel not arrived and followed the other heroes instead.

If Naofumi had one regret, it was that he wouldn't get to see his parents or Akito. He will die in some world and leave them behind.

_I'm sorry._

Several of the zombies raised their swords. Naofumi, though knowing it was fruitless, held up his shield. Come hell or high water, he wasn't going down without a fight.

"_WRAARRR!"_

That growl…

A black wolf tackled the zombie out of the way. More wolves followed, tackling and biting the zombies.

"Shield Hero!"

The Captain on top his black wolf came forward with his pack of wolves. Rachel was with them too, along with a few villagers.

"Are you OK?" The Captain asked.

"Fine now, thanks to your wolves." He watched as the wolves mauled and tore apart the zombies and wasps.

"Good thing he showed up, huh?" Rachel said.

"What are you doing here? I thought I asked you to evacuate the villagers."

"And I did. Except these guys wanted to fight." She waved at the small group of villagers. "Plus, you know you need me." She teased him with a smile.

"Sure, whatever." Even though the words sounded harsh, he couldn't help but smile. She came back to help. She didn't run or stay back at the mines.

"Shield Hero, I'm sorry but I must leave." The Captain said.

What? He just got here.

Seeing the confused look on him, the Captain continued. "The other heroes are fighting a chimera and they are not prepared enough to fight one. I'll leave you with some of my wolves."

He whistled sharply and ten of his wolves went to where Rachel and the villagers stood.

"They are trained to fight the toughest enemies out there. You can rely on them. The rest of my squad should arrive shortly. Please work with them until the wave is over."

Just thinking about it made Naofumi want to groan. He still remembered the hate in the Knights' eyes when he was branded as a criminal. But beggars can't be choosers.

"Alright."

The Captain smiled. "Good." He adjusted the reigns on his wolf. "Forward!"

The wolf howled and ran in the direction where the other heroes were. His pack of wolves howled and followed him.

With several of the zombies dead, Naofumi could continue his plan.

"Listen."

Rachel, the villagers, and the wolves all looked at him.

"I'm going to use that bell tower to draw in the rest of the hoard. When I do, get ready to fight like hell."

This was going to be a tough one, no doubt. But with the villagers and the wolves, they now had a bigger advantage than before.

"Rachel. Make sure you have your potions ready in case anyone needs healing."

Rachel nodded and hefted up her ax. "Got it."

"You guys," Naofumi pointed to the villagers, "aim for the heads of the zombies. Stab the wasps in the abdomen and rip it apart. That should kill it faster."

The villagers drew their pitchforks and swords.

"You… uh… wolves."

The wolves eyed him.

"Uhh… kill the monsters."

The wolves moved and arranged themselves in a circle, protecting them.

"Didn't think that would work."

With everyone in position, Naofumi made his way up the bell tower. At the top, he got a good look at the village. Or what remained of it. Houses were collapsed or on fire. Stone buildings had their windows broken while others were boarded up.

This village would not fall. Not under his watch.

He gripped the rope connected to the bell.

Now or never.

He pulled.

_Dong._

_Dong._

_Dong._

_Dong._

_Dong._

The only sound there was after the tolling was the crackle of fire.

Then, the moaning and the buzzing came.

This is it.

Naofumi grabbed the gas lamp and spilled the fuel on the floor. He took a deep breath, then let go of the torch. The second it hit the fuel, Naofumi jumped.

"Air Strike Shield!"

A massive green shield materialized and he landed on it then jumped the rest of the way.

Landing next to Rachel, he got his shield ready.

When the first wave of the hoard came in, the wolves struck first, leaping at the monsters. They bit down on the necks of the zombies, decapitating them. The wasps were able to fly above, their stingers pointed at them.

The villagers stabbed as many as the could, slamming them to the ground and ripping their abdomens apart. Some even stomped on them. Rachel used her fire magic to set them on fire. When that cleared up, more zombies came. Some made it past the wolves and headed in their direction.

"Rachel, with me!" Naofumi ran forward to the first zombie. When the zombie brought down its sword onto Naofumi's shield, Rachel came up and hacked its head off.

"Good, let's keep doing this."

The two worked in tandem, repeating the same process.

More and more of the zombies' hoard dwindled. They finally came upon the last one. Naofumi didn't even bother to block this time. Before the zombie could even lift its sword, Rachel had already taken care of it.

"We did it!" Rachel did a little jump of victory. "Holy shit we did it!"

Naofumi wanted to share in the sentiment, but he knew more would show.

Behind them, the villagers and the wolves congregated together.

"Thank you, Shield Hero!"

"You saved us!"

"Bless you, Shield Hero!"

Even the wolves bowed slightly.

A feeling Naofumi didn't even know how do describe spread through him. The jubilation of Rachel, the villagers, and the wolves had awakened something in him.

This feeling… it felt good. He felt… appreciated.

That feeling was interrupted by more moans.

"We're not done yet. Get back into formation!"

Before they could even move, a sharp whistling sound interrupted.

Another flare?

Naofumi looked up and his eyes widened. Several fireballs were raining down on them!

"Everyone! Behind me!"

They all gathered behind Naofumi. He summoned a magic shield, protecting them from the onslaught of fireballs.

"What the hell is going on?!" Rachel shouted through the flames.

The raining fireballs continued for what felt like an eternity before ceasing.

"Look!" One of the villagers pointed to a dirt path.

Naofumi couldn't see right away, but he did hear the sound of marching. The rest of the knights.

"Well," a knight at the front with a mustache spoke loudly, "looks like we got them all. Good job, men."

They called this a good job? Nearly setting them on fire?

Bastards.

The man at the front wore the typical knight armor. What separated him from the rest was his brown cape and the red tassel hanging off of his helmet. If Naofumi had to guess, he was probably below the Captain.

"The Shield Hero?" He and his men stopped before them. "Not bad. Guess you aren't weak as everyone says you are."

A growl escaped from Naofumi.

"What the hell, you bastards!" Rachel called out. "You could've killed us with those fireballs, you idiots!"

"Calm down, missy," the man said waving his hand dismissively. "We killed most of the monsters. You should be thanking us for saving you."

"You didn't save us, the Shield Hero did!" A villager said.

As if to reiterate that statement, the wolves moved forward and growled. The man gasped and stepped back a bit.

"The Captain's wolves? But…"

"He showed up earlier," Naofumi said. "He did a lot more than you cowards did."

The man, surprised by Naofumi's bluntness, regained his composure. "Just leave the rest of the monsters to us. We wouldn't want there to be any mistakes."

Naofumi noticed Rachel gripping her ax tightly.

"Sure, I guess you're right." Naofumi shrugged.

With them confused by his words, he smiled, baring his teeth.

"I could let you get killed by the monsters, though."

What the man didn't notice was the gargantuan zombie in heavy armor snuck up on them. The man turned and almost fell back.

"Gah!"

The zombie growled and hefted up its sword.

"M-men! Do not falter! Get into forma-"

The zombie swiftly brought down its sword.

Naofumi dashed forward and countered the sword.

"Who's the weak one, now?"

This zombie may be bigger, but he wouldn't let it kill him. Not when they survived the hoard.

"Rachel, get it!"

"You got it!" Rachel jumped on the zombie's arm and cleaved its skull. With that one taken care of, he, Rachel, the villagers, and the wolves continued their assault.

One of the knights, a young man, watched with awe. The Shield Hero was just like a real hero. Never backing down from a fight. A true hero.

"Forget them!" The young man's reverie broke at the shout of the second in command. "Let them handle this. The other heroes need our help!"

The second in command and a few of the other knights followed him. Except for a good bunch. One of them had a scar running across the bridge of his nose. He watched the Shield Hero and his crew take down each monster as if they were nothing. More and more were coming.

His commanding officer had turned their backs on them. He didn't agree with that. When he was sworn into the royal guard, he went into it wanting to protect the people and the kingdom. He wasn't sure about the rumors of the Shield Hero. But that didn't matter now.

"Knights! Supports the Shield Hero and his party! Phalanx formation!"

The young knight and the remaining knights smiled.

"Charge!"

They joined Naofumi and fought back the monsters, their blades slicing away.

Naofumi was thankful for the backup. With them in tow, they would get through this.

Hoard after hoard came through and with each hoard, they brought them down.

When the last of the zombies fell, the sky flashed a blinding white before turning back into a blue sky.

They did it. They survived.

* * *

With each battle, there are casualties. That is the horror of any battle.

Lute Village was saved. But not without any casualties.

Naofumi was sitting on a crate watching the villagers going about their ways to help. A woman was wrapping bandages to a man's arm. A group of men was pulling a wagon filled with the charred remains of a house. A child was praying to a box that had a flower on it.

He couldn't save everyone. People still died.

Some hero he was.

A few of the villagers had come up to him and expressed their thanks for saving them. All he could do was nod.

Parts of the village still remained intact while the rest needed to be rebuilt. The knights that shot the fireballs made things worse. Not that anyone would believe him if he said anything.

His gaze wandered until he saw the knight with the scar across his nose. The knight stared at him for a moment before leading the other knights away.

"Hey, I'm back."

Rachel came up from behind and stood in front of him. Earlier, after the wave was done, she went about treating the villagers.

"Make any money."

"I didn't charge them."

Naofumi raised an eyebrow at her. Knowing who she is, this would've been a perfect opportunity to get money.

Rachel adjusted her satchel. "People died, Naofumi. And most of their homes are destroyed. It would be bitchy of me to charge them when they lost so much. They need medicine more than ever now if they want to get better."

So, she does have morals. Naofumi didn't put it past her to charge people given who she is. Guess he underestimated her.

"Guess we're done here, then," He stood from the crate.

"Sir Hero."

Naofumi turned to the sound of the voice and saw a silver-haired man bowing with a few villagers behind him.

"Thank you for saving us. We are in your debt." The man said, raising himself up.

Why was he thanking him? He didn't save everyone and most of their homes are destroyed. He didn't do anything.

"No need to thank me."

"That's not true!" A villager spoke out. It was the man he saved when he and Rachel stormed into the village. "You stayed and fought until the end. It could've ended much worse."

Beside him, a woman was holding on to her daughter. She didn't say a word, but the sincerity from her eyes said enough.

"Like I said I didn't-"

"He doesn't mean that," Rachel said coming up to him. "He's just tired, is all. Hehe." She patted him on the shoulder. She then gripped his shoulder tightly.

Naofumi nearly buckled from the pain.

"Stop acting like a fucking brat and just say you're welcome!" Rachel whispered harshly.

She let go of him and Naofumi rubbed his shoulder. That was going to leave a bruise.

"You're welcome." He said without looking at the villagers.

That seemed enough for them. They said their thanks again and walked back to the village.

"We did a pretty good job, don't you think?" Rachel inquired as they made their way back to Castle Town.

"Yeah, I suppose."

"What's got you down? We saved the village! You should be happy."

"We didn't save all of it."

Casualties were bound to happen he knew that much. He just didn't expect it to happen while he was protecting the village. They did under his watch.

"Hey." Rachel grabbed his arm to stop him. "People die during the waves. It happens. It's horrible, but you can't do anything about it. Even the Heroes before you couldn't save everyone, but they did save a lot of lives. Don't let this get to you. Next time when the wave hits, we'll be prepared."

The guilt was still clawing at his heart like a bear scratching a tree. But her words did help somewhat. He shouldn't blame himself for something beyond his control.

"Cheer up!" Rachel threw an arm around his shoulder. "Once we get our reward, we're going all out on food."

This time, he didn't flinch from Rachel's touch. Her touch held no malice or trickery.

A smile tugged at his lips.

"Sure. Sounds good."

"There you go!" Rachel withdrew her arm and walked forward with a bounce in her steps.

Naofumi looked up to the sky.

_I followed my heart, grandma. Thank you._

He then began to walk.

* * *

_The next day. _

Outside of Castle Town, colorful tents lined the perimeter of the city. Furniture was being unloaded out of several wagons and was brought into the tents. Beautiful men and women in dancing garbs stood by and waited while their furniture was being placed. Some danced to the beat of drums being played while others talked.

Once the furniture was set up, the dancers went into their tents (the men and women had separate tents) and began to get ready for the night.

In the women's tent, the women fluttered about. Many were putting on the finishing touches of their makeup while others practiced their dancing.

The flap of their tent opened and a man and a woman stepped in.

"Ladies!" The man called out in a rather flamboyant voice.

All the women turned their attention to the duo and the man gasped dramatically and put his hands to his mouth.

"How is it that all of you get so beautiful with each passing day?"

"Thank you, Luca!" The women said in unison. They loved how he always complimented them, no matter the reason.

"I want you all to have a fun night. And if anyone tries to get their way with you, don't be afraid to unleash your fury."

"They're strong enough, Luca." The woman put a hand on his arm. "I've seen them in action. Along with the men. They'll never let anyone take advantage of them."

"Your faith in them always cheers me up, Lana." Luca hugged Lana. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see to the men. Have fun, ladies!" He blew a kiss and exited the tent.

"OK, girls," Lana said. "The party for the Heroes begins tonight. Be sure to be on your best behavior. Now, where is the star of the show?"

The dancers looked at a woman sitting on a vanity applying blush onto her cheeks, accentuating her tanned skin. Her dark wavy hair ended at her collar bone. When she was done applying the make-up, she turned to look at Lana and smiled.

"I am ready."


	10. Chapter 9

By all accounts, it was a lovely party. Better than any party he's ever been to. Correction. It tops any party he's ever been to.

Mouth-watering desserts, bubbling champagne, blood red wine, steaming meat, it was the epitome of fancy. This party was for him. Too bad no one wanted to celebrate with him.

Naofumi sat on a windowsill watching the noblemen and women fluttering around in their suits and dresses, not paying attention to him. Either they were doing it deliberately or he was just good at being invisible. Not that he wanted their attention. Being alone was better than being stared at. Or glared at.

He casts several glances at the nobles, seeing the occasional knight here and there as well. He even saw the second in command bragging about fighting off a giant monster. Naofumi scoffed. As much as he wanted to say it was him and Rachel who killed the monster, no one would believe him. Only the villagers from Lute Village would back him up.

He sighed. All he's been doing since he got here was sighing. Sighing at the mundaneness of this party. He's only here just to get the reward, not mingle with the townspeople.

Another sigh escaped.

"Keep sighing like that, you'll let out all the good energy from you."

The Captain came forward along with a black wolf by his side.

"Captain," Naofumi said.

"Shield Hero. Something bothering you? I thought you'd be celebrating with the others, not here by your lonesome."

Naofumi raised an eyebrow. Was this man dense?

"I meant to say was that you shouldn't care what they think. You saved a village. My wolves told me you stood your ground against a monster. You're a hero, no matter what these people say. Celebrate!"

The sentiment was nice. He was the only person, aside from Rachel and Elhart who treated him with decency. Still, he was a knight who was close to the King. He didn't want any more trouble from him.

"I'll pass." He glanced at the window, staring at nothing in particular outside.

"Suit yourself," the Captain said. "Though it looks like you won't be by yourself for the time being."

Confused, Naofumi looked back at the throng of people and saw Rachel weaving through carrying a giant platter of sweets and two glasses of wine.

"Excuse me. Pardon me. Out of my way. Move your ass." Some nobles gasped at her obscene words but Rachel left them behind, not caring.

The Captain nodded his goodbye and left.

"Hey there, sorry it took me a while." Rachel set down the platter on a table near them. "I couldn't decide what to get so I just got what looked yummy."

The platter had nothing but sweets. Save for the two glasses of wine at the center, surrounding them were sweets upon sweets.

"Did you rob an entire table?" This was too much for two people.

"It's free food. Like these nobles are going to care if a few sweets are gone." Rachel grabbed a slice of chocolate cake and ate it. "So good!" She smiled.

_Glad someone is enjoying themselves._ Naofumi looked at the dessert tray and for a moment, he thought about getting some.

Rachel noticed and grabbed a small cupcake. "Try one. It's really good!"

He was about to grab it when he noticed two noblemen casting glances at him. He could see the contempt in their eyes.

"I'm good." The mood was ruined.

"Come on, it's really good!" Rachel persisted.

"I said I'm go- hmmph!"

Rachel shoved the cupcake into his mouth.

"Quit acting like a moody brat and enjoy the damn cupcake."

Naofumi glared at her and chewed on the cupcake. It was… pretty good. The vanilla frosting with the chocolate complimented each other.

"Told you it was good." Rachel grabbed a glass of wine and sipped it. She leaned back against the wall next to the window. "Some party this is, huh?"

"Not sure what you mean by that."

"I mean that this is the first time I've ever been to a party like this. Let alone in the rich part of the city."

From the way she dressed and her mannerism, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know this wasn't Rachel's type of party.

"What kind of parties do you like?" He asked.

"Hmm…" Rachel thought for a moment. "I guess I like any party. So long as there's music and food. If there's no food, it ain't a party."

"Guess I can agree with you on that."

"And you? What kind of parties do you like?"

That was a bit hard to answer. He never was a party person, to begin with. Even at a young age, he never liked going to birthday parties. He'd rather spend his time playing video games or reading manga. It was quiet, and no one bothered him. Parties were too loud and too crowded.

"I don't like parties, actually." Naofumi fiddled with the hem of his cloak.

"Understandable." Rachel downed the rest of the wine. "It's too bad Elhart couldn't come with us. But he doesn't strike me as someone who likes fancy parties."

After they came back to Castle Town, the servants of the castle gave him and Rachel an invitation to the party in celebration of the Hero's bravery in fighting off the monsters. They were allowed to bring a guest and Rachel didn't hesitate to ask Elhart.

The man kindly declined their invitation, which disappointed Rachel somewhat. Naofumi didn't understand what she saw in him. He was older than her by maybe ten or fifteen years. Maybe it was the muscles.

"I doubt he owns a fancy suit." Naofumi pointed out. Hell, he was still dressed in his barbarian armor. He and Rachel stood out among the other guests.

"True. Still, I wanted to at least have one dance with him."

"Hmph. I don't think he's even danced a day in his life."

"You never know. He may surprise me by sweeping me off my feet. We would dance, have some wine, and then…" Rachel stopped. "Oops. I forgot. You're still a kid." She chuckled.

Naofumi didn't bother with a rebuttal.

"Just feels weird."

"What's weird?"

"The party. People died in Lute Village and here we are partying. Doesn't it feel wrong?"

"It doesn't have to be." Rachel popped a chocolate strawberry into her mouth. "It's sad that people died, but what can you do? Everyone knows there's a chance they might live or die when a wave comes. There's nothing wrong with celebrating surviving. And the people of Lute will continue to grow."

"And here I thought you were an apothecary, not a philosopher."

Rachel laughed. "Please, philosophers don't make crap selling wisdom."

Naofumi chuckled and looked out the window again. He could barely make out the horizon from the glare of the light from the inside. Squinting his eye, he could just see the wall of Castle Town and the tents.

"What's up with those tents?" When they had arrived yesterday at Castle Town, several tents were set up on the perimeter.

"That's Lula's Dancing Troupe."

"Dancing troupe?" Naofumi knew of circus troupes, never dancing troupes.

"It's a group of dancers who go to perform all over the country. They've even gone overseas a few times. I'm guessing the King got one of the owners to ask them if he can have dancers perform."

Naofumi was about to ask what kind of dancers there were when he saw Motoyasu walking toward him with Malty following.

This shouldn't be good.

Before they reached them, the guests began to gather around the handrails, looking down at the first floor.

"Someone's going to perform!" Rachel set aside her plate and grabbed Naofumi. He protested by pressing his feet to the ground but Rachel somehow pulled him along. "No way are you missing this. We're here to have fun, not glower."

When they reached the rail, they saw servants clearing away the tables. A man stood in the center. He was dressed in a yellow ruffled shirt underneath a purple jacket with blue buttons. His pants were bright pink with suspenders hanging from the side. He looked flamboyant. Almost like an anime character. Even his mustache was curled.

"Ladies and Gentleman!" His voice boomed throughout the room. "I humbly thank the King for his request to get one our dancers to perform for you all!"

The guests applauded.

"Now, without further ado, I want to introduce you to your dancer. She has captured the hearts of many with her gracefulness. Her movements are known to still even the most ferocious of beasts. Please welcome…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Mina!"

The man stepped to the side and a woman walked in.

She wore a short purple top lined at the edges with gold, almost reminiscent of a bra. Her high slit skirt was purple with another layer of gold underneath, revealing tan legs. Adorning her wrists were gold bangles. Black wavy hair ended just at the collarbone. Her make up was expertly applied, accentuating her brown eyes.

She waved at the audience as they applauded. Beside him, Rachel applauded as well. Naofumi looked behind him to see if Motoyasu was still perusing him. When it looked like the coast was clear, he looked back at the dancer.

She stood in the center. The audience was silent, waiting for her to move. The beat of a drum sounded, and she began to dance.

To Naofumi, the world stood still as she danced. From the way she moved her arms, her legs, the shaking of her hips, she got his attention. Briefly, he broke his gaze from her and looked at the other guests. Mina had their full attention too. If he yelled fire, no one would pay attention to him. All eyes were on Mina.

She paused and put her hands high in the air together, intertwining them. She jutted her hips to the side, causing her skirt to reveal even more of her legs. It took a second for Naofumi to realize she was belly dancing.

With each beat and rhythm of the drum, she danced effortlessly, like she was swimming through water.

There was a pause in the beating. Mina stood still in a pose. The beat picked up, only to pause again. Mina moved within the time of the beat, now in another pose.

The beating picked up faster and Mina shook her hips to the exact beat of the drums. She tip-toed backward, never losing the rhythm of shaking her hips.

Grabbing her hair with both hands, she went around the room in circles, jutting out her hips. When she came to the area where Naofumi was, she looked up and their eyes met.

Naofumi stared back, mesmerized by her beauty and grace. Mina smiled as she passed.

She went back to the center and grabbed the hem of her skirt. In a flash, she began to spin, the gold second layer of her skirt spinning spun with her. The drumming became faster, more intense. It was nearing the end.

Mina stopped spinning and threw her arms in the air. The drumming had stopped.

For a moment, no one moved.

Then, the crowd began to applause. Cheers and shout rang out. Mina drew a small purple cloth from her skirt and bowed. Rising up, she blew kisses to the audience before leaving.

The guests began to disperse, going back to conversing with each other. Naofumi took this as a sign to go back to the windowsill.

He turned, ready to go back to his spot and almost bumped into Motoyasu.

"Naofumi." Motoyasu didn't look angry, but he sounded angry.

"What now?" Naofumi wasn't in the mood to be dealing with this idiot. Especially with Malty smiling ruefully behind him.

"I just want to clear up something," his gaze shifted to Rachel. "Is she your slave?"

…huh?

Slave? Where did he come up with such- oh. _Her._

He shot daggers at Malty, who only smiled away like she did nothing wrong.

"No, she isn't."

Even with the reply, something tells him this won't go down easy.

"Be honest," Motoyasu pressed on. "There's no way she would just travel with you knowing what you did."

"Sorry to burst whatever conspiracy you have, but she came with me willingly. Ask her yourself."

Motoyasu looked to Rachel for confirmation.

She sighed at the stupidity of this conversation. "Yes, I did. Like I told you, I'm not one to judge. It doesn't matter what he's done in the past."

"Sounds like someone is under Naofumi's spell." Malty slipped forward between them. "If I didn't know any better, she's just an unfortunate victim of the Shield Hero."

This only made Motoyasu all angrier. "Well? You gonna fess up or what?"

Wherever this conversation was going, it wasn't doing him any good. Already, the guests were looking on, whispering loudly enough for him to hear.

"Just listen to yourself," he said. "How about you think for yourself and not listen to hearsay."

Motoyasu growled and lifted up his spear.

"Then fight me." The point of the spear nearly touched his nose, but Naofumi didn't flinch.

"No." He pushed aside the spear and began walking. "Rachel, let's go."

The apothecary groaned. "Fine." She set down her plate of macarons and followed Naofumi. "And I was just enjoying the party."

The whisper grew louder. Naofumi could practically feel their glares on him. Let them. They say him as nothing more than a villain. There was nothing he could do to fix any of this.

He reached the landing when a knight stepped in front of him with his spear ready.

"What the-"

More knights appeared, hands on the hilt of their swords. Rachel scooted closer to him.

"You will not be going anywhere, Shield Hero."

The King looked down on him from his spot on the second floor. "I heard your conversation. Whether your companion is a slave or not, that is to be tested. You should know it is unorthodox for a hero such as yourself to coerce a person to be your party member. For that, there will be punishment."

Punishment!

"What for!" Naofumi shouted. "I didn't do anything wrong. She doesn't even have a slave marking on her!"

"He's right," Rachel spoke. "Hell, if it'll make you listen, I'll strip right here if I have to."

She didn't even get to remove her shawl before hands clamped around her stomach.

"Wh- Hey! Get the fuck off!" She struggled against the knight. She flailed her legs, making the knight nearly let go. Nearly. His grip on her tightened.

"Let go of her!" Naofumi began to reach out only for a knight to block his path.

"Swords ready!" A knight shouted and the knights unsheathed their swords. The guests gasped and someone screamed. A glass slipped through someone's hand and shattered on the floor.

"Your companion will be kept with us until we can determine if she is your slave. As for your punishment, you will have to fight Sir Motoyasu to a duel."

Was he serious? It wouldn't take less than ten seconds for someone to see if Rachel had a slave marking on her. This whole scene is just for his entertainment. And Malty's especially.

"You hear that, Naofumi?" Motoyasu came down the stairs. "Looks like we finally get to have our duel. I can't wait to kick your ass."

"You scumbag!"

He was done being nice. "Get your fucking hand off of her you prick!"

This brought him back to the throne room. Everyone glaring at him with nothing but hatred and contempt in their eyes. The anger he felt back at then and at the Dragon Hourglass came back. It rushed from his heart to every inch of his body, from his fingers to his head.

He gritted his teeth, not caring if he ground them down to nothing. They were going to take everything away from him all over again. He would be left with nothing.

There wasn't anything worse than having nothing. Nothing meant he had no purpose. No meaning. Rachel had given him something. Without her, he would have nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

_Nothing._

The thought of impaling the knight with is Crystal Shield flashed through his mind. He would get Rachel out of the way and stab him. Then he'll get the other. Then the King. And Malty.

Yes. Everyone one of them deserved to-

"Now, now. Why don't we all calm down."

The sultry yet commanding voice brought him back to the present. He and everyone in the room turned to the sound of the voice.

Mina walked up to them. "Boys, put your swords away. You're scaring the guests." She smiled while resting a finger below her lips.

The knights still held on to their swords, but Naofumi could see a glimmer of hesitation in their eyes as if they were actually considering doing what Mina told them to.

"What business do you have with them, dancer?" The King asked, clearly not amused by her interruption.

Mina shrugged. "I do not have any business with them, your Majesty. But I am a guest here, and I am not impressed by how you and your knights are handling the situation."

Naofumi wondered what game she was playing. She stepped into this mess with nothing to gain other than the King's irritation. Why was she doing this?

"Tonight was supposed to be a celebration," Mina continued. "A night where we would indulge ourselves in delicious food and wine. Toss caution to the wind and have fun with reckless abandon."

She turned to look at Naofumi and Rachel. "Instead I find the knights holding two heroes against their wills." She tapped her chin. "One might say this is almost like taking them hostage."

The crowd murmured, pointing at the knights and even stole a few glances at the King.

"N-no need to cause for alarm everyone," the King said with a failed attempt at a smile. "None of this is anything related to a hostage situation. Just a talk between heroes is all!"

"Then why are the Shield Hero and his companion being held with swords pointed at them?" Mina asked.

The King grunted. "Release them."

The knights sheathed their swords and the knight holding Rachel let her go. She turned to the knight and kneed him in the crotch.

"Agh!" The knight grabbed his crotch and went to his knees.

Rachel went and stood by Naofumi.

"There," the King said. "Are you happy?"

"Not yet, your Majesty."

Mina looked at the Motoyasu. "I heard the Spear Hero and Shield Hero are supposed to fight. Why not push it back to tomorrow?"

"Are you ordering me?" The King gripped the railing hard enough for his knuckles to turn white.

"I'm not ordering you around. I'm just merely offering a suggestion. Aren't we supposed to be celebrating? Let them fight tomorrow. Of course," she smiled at the King, "it would be a shame if the Queen heard about this."

"Hrk!" The King grunted. He looked at the guests and they each had a questioning look in their eyes.

Naofumi watched the whole conversation in astonishment. This woman managed to get everyone's attention and made them listen to her. It was like her dancing.

"Very well," the King said after a moment. "I'll postpone the fight until tomorrow night. The Shield Hero and his companion are free to leave."

"Thank you, your Majesty." Mina bowed.

The King did not return the sentiment.

Naofumi didn't hesitate before grabbing Rachel by the wrist and pulling her to the exit.

They passed Mina and in the tiny second they were face to face, she smiled winked at him.

He still didn't understand her intention. Looking back, he saw Motoyasu looking not pleased and Malty looking like she might break something.

Naofumi ignored the looks he was receiving.

Tomorrow, he had a fight to get ready for.


	11. Chapter 10

"Ugh." Naofumi groaned and practically slammed his head on the wooden table. Thanks to his high defense, it didn't hurt.

Damn Motoyasu and Malty. Damn this freaking world.

Across from him, Rachel and Elhart watched Naofumi wallow in his contempt.

"Cut it out, kid," Elhart said. "Count your blessings. At least you won't fight the Spear Hero until tomorrow night."

"Blessings?" Naofumi lifted his head. "What blessings? I still have to fight that prick thanks to that bitch." He put his head back on the table.

"Elhart is right," Rachel said, taking a sip of her ale. "If it weren't for Mina, you would probably get your ass kicked. Take this time to at least prepare."

Just the idea of fighting Motoyasu made Naofumi almost groan. Nothing was ever easy for him. If he hadn't attended that stupid party, none of this would have happened. He would've slept in for the night, wake up the next morning, and collect the reward for saving Lute Village. Instead, he got a fight.

A fight with a perv who wants to have his own harem.

Lifting his head, Naofumi reached for his glass of ginger ale and chugged it. That was the only good thing this alehouse had to serve other than the food.

When they left the castle, he and Rachel went to Elhart and told him what happened. Elhart, feeling sorry for them, took them to an alehouse and offered to pay for their meal and drink.

The alehouse was half empty with customers either sitting by the counter or in tables near the back. Their table was smack in the middle of the room, leaving all to see them. The gossip had already made it to the lower parts of the city, so it was no surprise that some whispered about his upcoming fight.

Naofumi opens his status menu and scrolled through his skill tree. Many skills filled the screen to which it was hard to keep track of which skill was which. Being at level 21 wasn't so bad. Then again, Motoyasu could be several levels higher than he was, maybe higher than Rachel.

But if playing hours upon hours of JRPGs taught him anything, it was that even an under-leveled character could defeat a higher-level boss. All he needed was a good strategy.

… or to play dirty.

"So, what are you gonna do, kid?" Elhart leaned back on his chair. "Where I see it, you got some real competition with that Spear Hero guy."

"I'm sure he's got this," Rachel interjected. "The way I saw him fight back in Lute Village, there's no way Motoyasu can defeat him."

While he appreciated the positive encouragement from them, he really did, that wouldn't be enough to defeat Motoyasu. This wasn't a cheesy anime where the power of friendship fixes every problem known to mankind.

The sound of the door to the alehouse opened and closed, distracting him from looking at his skills.

"Hey, is that…" Elhart's words died as he peered behind Naofumi.

"No way." Rachel's eyes widened.

Confused at their strange behavior, Naofumi turned, and he forgot all about his skills when he saw who was there.

"Well hello there, Shield Hero." Mina smiled at him, her gaze never leaving his.

She was still dressed in her dancer garb and Naofumi took in all the willpower he had to look at her face and not at her exposed tan skin. Or the way her legs were on full display with the high hilt of her skirt.

The way she presented her self and the way she spoke grabbed his full attention. Something about her was so captivating, he couldn't take her eyes off of her. Not only was she beautiful, but when she was dancing, she did with such grace it was hard to look away.

It took him a moment to realize he was practically gaping at her.

"Uh, w-what are you doing here?" Smooth. Very smooth.

"I was in the neighborhood looking for a good alehouse. When us dancers are done performing, we are free to explore the city we're staying at and indulge ourselves in what the city has to offer." Mina looked between him and Rachel. "I trust you two are doing fine after what happened?"

"Yeah, we are," Rachel replied, setting down her mug. "Thanks for saving our asses back there."

Naofumi continued to stare at Mina when he felt a strong kick to both of his shins. He turned and glared at Rachel and Elhart only to be met with their glares. Rachel gestured to Mina with her eyes.

Oh. He knew what she was implying.

He turned back to Mina. "Thanks. For saving us." It didn't come out as sincere as he wanted. Mina was a stranger, after all. It's not like they were friends just because she saved him.

"Think nothing of it," Mina said and patted him on the shoulder. "I was just there at the right time. Do you mind if I join you three?"

It was not like he could refuse her after all she's done for him. He patted the chair next to him and Mina sat down. A waiter came and she ordered a ginger ale.

When the waiter left, Mina shifted her gaze to Elhart. "And who might you be?"

"Elhart. Nice to finally meet you." He held out his hand and they shook. "Rachel here told me about what you did."

"I'm glad I was there to step in." The waiter showed up with her ginger ale and she thanked him. Naofumi noticed how the waiter's face flushed. He looked back over his shoulder occasionally as he went back into the kitchen.

"Now," Mina held up her mug. "How about we toast to meeting new people?"

"So long as I drink, I don't mind." Rachel held up her mug.

"Why not?" Elhart followed suit.

All that was left was Naofumi. They waited for him to join.

He held up his mug. "New people. Sure." His deadpan words didn't stop them from clinking their mugs and drinking their ale.

Rachel slammed her mug down on the table. "Now that's some good ale right there."

"I must agree," Mina said. She lowered her mug to the table instead of slamming it as Rachel did. "It's nice to meet new people."

Naofumi wished he shared her sentiment. He remembered being excited when he first arrived here. How open he was to the new people and to Malty. And look where that got him. Yet, Mina didn't strike him as the naïve type. With how she acts, it's like she's the one in control.

The way she handled the King and the guards would've earned her an award if she was in his world. Everyone in the room was focused on her, and all she did was speak.

She gained nothing from that other than the King's ire. That wasn't going to get her anywhere other than being a pariah. From the looks of it though, she didn't care.

"Why?" The word came out quickly, Naofumi didn't even have time to at least think before speaking.

Mina glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why what, Shield Hero."

"Why did you protect us both back there? You know nothing about me. And this could affect your dancing career. Why?"

The table was quiet. Rachel and Elhart watched intently between the two, waiting to hear what Mina had to say. Even Naofumi joined in on their staring.

Mina glided her finger along the rim of the mug, taking her sweet time until she completed the circle.

"It was the right thing to do, is all." Her reply came out… strange. The way she said it… she wasn't telling the truth.

"Well then," Mina stood. "I'm glad I got to properly introduce myself to you all."

She placed some copper coins on the table.

"This should cover my ale. I have to go now." She went to the door and stopped. She looked over her shoulder. "I wish you the best of luck tomorrow, Shield Hero."

Just as she came in all of a sudden, she left.

Naofumi wasn't good at reading people. But he knew she was lying.

* * *

When Mina entered the women's tent, she was swarmed by her fellow dancers.

"Mina! We heard what happened!"

"Standing up against the king?!"

"How was it?!"

"Weren't you scared?"

Mina raised her hand, silencing the dancers.

"Girls, let's all calm down. I'm sure Luca has told you all what had happened. What else is there to say?" She went over to her bed and began taking off her bangles.

"What do you mean?" A dancer dressed in red sat down next to her. "You practically ordered the King! No one can do that. Aren't you afraid you'll get in trouble?"

"Not really. Plus, it's not like the King will remember me when there are other dancers out there."

"You protected the Shield Hero." A dancer dressed in blue said. "Are the rumors true about him?"

Mina hesitated for a bit. Gossip had been a close companion to her ever since she became a dancer. Loose lips in alehouses and parties had the best gossip because some of those words turned out to be true.

She didn't pay much attention to the Shield Hero at first. When she was talking to the other party guests, she heard several remarks about the Shield Hero. Not so good ones. She and the other dancers knew about the supposed rape allegation. But since they weren't there performing at the time, all they heard were rumors.

When she saw the guards holding him and his companion, Rachel, hostage, she saw the fear in his eyes. One look into those eyes and she knew those rumors were false.

So she stepped in.

In the end, the Shield Hero and Rachel were able to get away.

She should be relieved. But she wasn't.

"Rumors are rumors," she responded. "Unless their lips are loose from alcohol, then we may never know if it's true or not."

This seemed to settle the other dancers as they calmed down a bit.

"Hey, girls!"

The women turned their heads to the front of the tent.

"Are you ladies decent?" It was the male dancers.

The red dancer stifled a laugh. "We are, boys."

"Are you sure? Last time one of you said that Ari was practically naked when we came in."

The blue dancer, Ari, couldn't hold back her laugh. "I've never seen so many red faces in my life. Best day ever."

Mina smiled and rolled her eyes. "We're dressed, gentlemen. Come on in."

The front flap opened and the male dancers crowded around Mina.

"Tell us," a man dressed in orange said, "did you really protect the Shield Hero?"

When she told them the same thing, she told the female dancers, they shared the same look of curiosity.

"You're made out of tough stuff for sure," the man said.

"Us dancers have to be strong, after all," there was amusement in her voice. The statement was true for all of them.

An hour later, the dancers retreated to bed.

Soft breathing mixed with the singing cicadas outside the tent. Each dancer was nestled in their beds, slumbering away.

All except for Mina.

She stared at the colorful fabric of the tent, trying to sleep but it was to no avail.

The Shield Hero was on her mind. More specifically, what he said to her.

Why.

Why indeed?

She wasn't lying when she said it was the right thing to do to step in between him and the King. She was no stranger to the rumors of how the King and the first-born princess, Malty, were abusing their powers while the Queen was away. It made sense to intervene to show that the King wasn't as powerful as he thought he was.

There was more to that. All she had to do was remember the look in the Shield Hero's eyes. She not only saw fear but loneliness.

She knew that look. She sees it when she looks in a mirror. By no means did she consider herself a lonely person. She cared for all the dancers as well as Luca and Lana. When she joined the troupe at eighteen, she was welcomed with open arms. She made new friends easily and couldn't be any happier.

But the loneliness would creep in sometimes. Especially when she looked at the photo. Or at her pendant.

Careful not to make any noise, she reached over to her bag that sat next to her bed and pulled out a folded paper. The paper had a detailed drawing of a man and a woman dressed in noble clothes. The man was looking down at the woman who was sitting on a chair. In her arms was a bundle of cloth. And in that cloth was a baby.

She reached back into her bag and pulled out her pendant. It was a simple silver pendant. Etched onto it was a peregrine falcon holding a dagger in each foot.

Her family crest.

Her eyes were beginning to droop. Tucking away the photo and the pendant, Mina pulled her blanket until it went up to her chin.

_Why?_ The Shield Hero's question rang in her mind.

_Because I know how you feel._

* * *

Beyond the wall, Naofumi could hear the audience cheering loudly. Motoyasu had probably entered the arena, their precious hero.

There would be no applause from him. Only jeers.

The waiting room he's waiting in was stocked with several weapons. Swords, axes, spears, greatswords, and much more. Naofumi tentatively reached for a sword and he was met with being shocked. It was fruitless, he knew, but it didn't hurt to try.

With the many skills his shield has, he did have some advantage over Motoyasu. Some.

He looked at the axes, which made him think of Rachel. When they had arrived at the arena, the knights escorted Rachel away from him. He was about to argue back with them but Rachel shut him up with a shake of her head.

_I'll be fine, _her eyes had said. He believed in those unspoken words. Another knight approached and guided Naofumi to the waiting room.

_Rachel is probably out there, _he thought. Watching from the audience or maybe a private box like in those fancy theaters.

The audience quieted down and Naofumi could hear the announcer explain the rules. He didn't bother announcing Naofumi's name. Which didn't matter in the slightest.

The doors creaked open, revealing a short hall flanked with knights. He walked forward and didn't look at any of the knights. Their faces may be blank, but all one had to do was look in their eyes to see their irritation and hatred.

At the end of the hall, the arena came into view. It was rectangular in shape, the walls high with the audience seated on balconies. The King and his advisors were in a private box. Naofumi could see Rachel sitting behind them surrounded by guards. She gave him a thumbs up.

Opposite to him, Motoyasu waved to the audience and they cheered again.

"Good luck, Sir Motoyasu!" Malty, who was standing in a corner of the arena waved at Motoyasu.

Great. Just what he needed.

The announcer held his hand up high and the audience quieted down.

"This duel will take place in the presence of King Melromarc and the Pope."

Pope?

Naofumi looked around at the audience and spotted another private box. There, an elderly man was sitting on a grand chair dressed in a red and white robe. He even wore a hat similar to what the actual Pope in his world wore.

Why was a Pope of all people here? Popes are supposed to be peaceful and nurturing? Not witnessing fights?

"Their presence here makes this fight legitimate and official," the announcer continued. "Whoever is incapacitated or gives up will be the loser. Let's have a fair fight, gentlemen."

The announcer stepped back into an alcove. He waved a red flag.

Naofumi and Motoyasu stood in their place, not moving. Motoyasu's mouth crinkled into a smirk.

"Remember the folktale about the irresistible Spear and the immovable Shield?"

So that's where he was going with. Well, two can play at that.

"Remember the folktale about the limp Spear and the sturdy Shield?"

Naofumi couldn't help but smile when Motoyasu's smirk faltered. Good. Let him have a taste of his own medicine.

Motoyasu drew his spear and twirled it expertly. With the spear in its original form, it didn't look intimidating. No doubt that he had skills too. Powerful ones at that.

"Naofumi!" Motoyasu gripped his spear tightly, the blade pointed directly at Naofumi. "Be a man and admit defeat!"

Like hell he would.

Opening his skill tree, he scrolled through the skills until he found the Crystal Shield. The shield transformed, turning into a crystal with spikes jutting out.

"Bring it, you bastard."

With a cry, Motoyasu sprung forward.

Naofumi raised his shield just in time to parry. He stepped to the side, just avoiding getting hit and pressed his shield forward. Motoyasu's eyes widened seeing the spikes and jumped back.

"Not bad, looks like you some tricks up your sleeves." Motoyasu's spear glowed and took on a new form. "But so do I."

Quickly, Naofumi changed his shield into something sturdier. And it was just in the nick of time.

"Chaos Spear!"

Naofumi braced himself when a flurry of magic spears pelted him. He staggered back, trying not to trip and fall. But he couldn't keep up. A spear grazed his arm, but it was enough to actually hurt.

He gripped his arm while taking a quick look at his HP. It was still high, but he couldn't let it get any lower.

With a cry of his own, he ran up to Motoyasu.

"Damn!" Motoyasu raced forward as well. He thrust his spear, aiming for Noafumi's side. Naofumi, in turn, pivoted to the left and punched him hard in the stomach. It was enough to lift Motoyasu off of his feet.

From her view, Malty scoffed. "He's using his shield to strike him? What is that fool… what?"

"Ow!" Motoyasu pushed himself back and looked to his side. An orange balloon monster had its teeth clamped on to him tight.

"What?!"

Naofumi then flipped his cloak back. Clinging to his sides were more balloon monsters. The audience gasped and a few women screamed.

Rachel, from her seat, wasn't as surprised as everyone else. "So that's why he woke up earlier this morning," she said out loud.

At dawn, she heard Naofumi leave their room at Traverse Inn. She slept for a bit more before waking and started to make more tonics. He came back hours later for breakfast and when she asked where he was, he said he was out by the field fighting monsters. Which explained the balloon monsters.

Down in the arena, Motoyasu pried off the balloon monster and popped it with his spear. "What the hell was that, Naofumi!"

Naofumi grabbed one of the balloons and bounced it on the ground. "Remember what you told me when we met? That shields are for losers? Well, if I can't fight, then I'll fight dirty." He threw the balloon at Motoyasu, who in turned popped it with his spear.

"You coward!" He wasted no time charging at him.

Naofumi brought up his shield just as it transformed. The spear collided with the shield. It had missed hitting the two ferocious dogs that were on display.

"What?!"

The dogs growled and extended from the shield, biting down on Motoyasu's arm.

"Let go!" He jumped back but the dogs didn't falter in their grip, biting deeper into his arm.

With no time to lose, Naofumi willed the dogs to come back and changed it to the rope shield.

"Air Strike Shield!"

The green shield materialized in front of him horizontally and shot at Motoyasu right in the stomach. Naofumi could see him spit out saliva from the impact.

The Spear Hero fell to his knees, gasping for air. With him now defenseless, Naofumi had the perfect opportunity.

"Shield Prison!"

The shield that struck Motoyasu glowed and multiplied, surrounding him in a sphere with chains wrapped around it.

That wasn't the only thing Naofumi did. He waited until he started to hear Motoyasu cry out.

"Cut it out! Stop that! It hurts!" The prison moved around a bit from his struggles.

Thank you, balloon monsters.

"Nice one, Naofumi!" Rachel shouted.

Her praise, however, did not cancel out the murmurings from the audience.

"Is that legal?"

"He truly is monstrous."

"What does he think he's doing to the Spear Hero?"

"Have you no sanctity for the rules!" A man shouted, not caring to be quiet.

Naofumi shot him a glare which made the man flinch and sit back down. He should be used to this by now. After so many days of scorned looks and gossip, this shouldn't sting him. But it did. Each insult bounced off of him, but a few managed to penetrate his armor.

Monster. Liar. Devil.

Ignoring them, Naofumi went up to the prison. "You gonna give up yet? Or do you not want to disappoint your adoring fans?"

The prison vanished, revealing somewhat defeated Motoyasu.

"And w-why would I?" He asked, grunting as a balloon was still biting him.

One rolled away and stopped at Naofumi's feet. He picked it up and grabbed another one that was still attached to him.

"Alright, then," he lifted both of them up, all while smiling, "Then I guess you won't mind if I aim for your pretty face and precious manhood of yours, huh?" He reared back his hands, ready to throw them. "After all, I'm nothing but a cheating coward!"

"Wait! NO!" Motoyasu raised his hands to his face.

Naofumi would be lying if he didn't take pleasure at Motoyasu's fear. This was it. He would finally teach this prick a lesson.

However, it seemed that life was out to get him. Or rather, someone was out to get him.

A powerful force of wind struck him from behind, throwing him across the arena. Winded, he pushed himself up, confused at what hit him. It wasn't regular wind. He looked behind him and immediately, his blood began to boil.

There, smirking, her eyes as cold as steel, Malty's hand was glowing purple.

"Oops."

"Fuck you, bitch! That's cheating!" Rachel stood and shouted, only to be forced down by the knights. "Fuck off assholes!"

Naofumi was stunned. His anger grew and grew until he thought he would combust into flames. She was doing it again. She was making his life a living hell. Again. Again. Again.

"You… YOU BITCH!"

_POP!_

Naofumi spun. Motoyasu had popped the balloon that was biting him and charged. Naofumi brought up his shield but was pushed back by Motoyasu's strength.

He went at it against his shield, never relenting. Naofumi had no choice but to jump back. His arms were starting to get tired. Each time the spear struck his shield, his arms vibrated.

This wasn't good. If he didn't do anything-

The spear took on a new form. The red crystal at the center of the blade glowed, surrounding the blade in a red aura.

The red turned into blue, sparks flying out. From his place, Naofumi could feel the electricity coming off of the spear. The hairs in his arm beneath his sleeves rose.

Motoyasu lifted his spear high into the air. A pillar of blue lightning flew upward.

"Lightning…"

As fast as he could, Naofumi looked through his skill tree in hopes of finding something to either reflect the magic or something that is strong enough to resist it.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

This was it. He was done for. There was no way he could dodge this attack, let alone guard against it. Motoyasu would win. Rachel will be taken away from him. Just like at the beginning. Alone.

"Spear!"

Naofumi closed his eyes and braced himself.

"Argh!"

Huh?

Opening one eye Naofumi saw Motoyasu stagger back. His spear was no longer emitting electricity. He was clutching his left shoulder.

A dagger was sticking out.

The audience gasped collectively. They looked around to see who had thrown the dagger from such a vantage point.

Their answer came when a person dropped between Naofumi and Motoyasu.

Naofumi inwardly gasped when he saw who it was.

"Mina?"

Mina didn't look at him. Or at Motoyasu. Her eyes scanned the audience. They were all looking at her.

She remembered what Lana had taught them.

"Remember, you are all dancers. Meaning you must capture the audience's attention. Their eyes must never leave you. If they do, you are not dancing to your heart's content."

She did exactly just that.

With all eyes on her, she drew a dagger from her leg strap.

"Shall we dance, Spear Hero?"

The dancer has entered the stage.


	12. Chapter 11

When she first began dancing, Mina was surprised by how difficult it would be. She never went into Lula's Dancing Troupe expecting it to be easy. Far from it. After her first three lessons with the other new dancers, she was sore all over. It hurt just to even shift in bed.

Then came the repeated routines. There was such a thing as too straight and too slouched. It had to be perfect but not to perfect. Too much perfect, and her dance will be stiff. Not to perfect and her dance will be sluggish.

Despite all that, she never gave up. When she fell, she got up. When she messed up on a routine, she repeated it as many times until she perfected it. As the years went by, her dancing improved to where it feels like second nature to her. If a lute were playing, she would want to dance.

She and the other dancers had owed it to Luca and Lana for teaching them. They could be calming and difficult.

But they were also tough.

Once, when Mina was performing a routine in front of the other dancers, Luca had joined to watch. When she was done, the dancers cheered and applauded her. All except for Luca.

"Again," he had said.

Mina, confused, repeated the routine.

"Again."

By the fifth time she repeated the dance, Luca had come up to her. His eyes never left hers when he stood and walked to her.

"You are a dancer, Mina. Not some lizard with wandering eyes." He lifted her chin with his fingers until her eyes met his. She was sucked into his deep blue eyes as if she could drown in them.

"Eyes are the window to the soul. The audience sees your eyes as you see theirs. Always look into their eyes."

Later, when she went to bed, she didn't understand what he meant. The next day, she looked at her reflection on a vanity. Her brown eyes looked back with a questioning gaze. That was when she knew what Luca was talking about. Her eyes gave it away.

Hours later, she and other dancers performed for a large village and when she was close to the audience, she remembered Luca's advice and looked into the eyes of the villagers. Various emotions were on display. Excitement, wonder, amusement. Their true feelings were on display. Even if some of their faces didn't move, their eyes said everything.

Since then, she always made eye contact with as many people as she could while dancing.

What she later learned from that was how some eyes show hatred. Greed. Insanity.

She and the other dancers knew what they were getting themselves into traveling the kingdoms performing in many cities and villages. There would be people who would want to take advantage of them. Harm them.

Luca's advice was not only for dancing but for surviving. To look at one's eyes and see if there was any malicious intent in them.

Then came Lana's lesson.

When one decides to join Lula's Dancing Troupe, they not only learn how to dance, they learn how to protect themselves and attack as well.

A few weeks after Mina and other new dancers were recruited, they were summoned by Lana and Luca to watch them perform. A makeshift stage was set up and when the dancers showed up, the two teachers went at each other with daggers.

Mina remembered that day well. The clanging of the blades meeting, the quick movements, how the daggers came close to cutting skin. The other dancers shared the same feeling as they all watched intently with dropped jaws and anticipation. They were watching a dance of blades.

When Luca and Lana were pressing their daggers against each other, an unspoken language was said between them. They jumped back, sheathed their daggers, and drew out folding fans and in one quick motion, they waved the fans at the dancers.

They flinched as a strong wind blew past them.

When the wind subsided, Luca and Lana put their fans away and bowed.

"That," Lana said after rising, "ladies and gentlemen, is how you fight. It's a dangerous world out there and you need to protect yourselves. It does not matter if you are a man or a woman, people will want to harm you. Do I make myself clear?"

The dancers nodded.

"Good. Then go grab yourselves some wooden daggers and fans. Your lessons begin today."

Mina took those lessons to heart and for the next six years, she danced.

Now, she was fighting one of the Cardinal Heroes. She went from dancing in front of the King to fighting a hero. Were this a story, the Spear Hero would be the, well… hero and she the villain.

The hero always wins. Not this time.

The Spear Hero, Motoyasu, removed the dagger, crying out. She didn't throw it hard enough for it to go all the way up to the hilt. It was easy to throw it at him from her position in the audience. He let his guard down. And he wasn't even wearing proper armor.

The dagger clattered to the ground, red with blood.

"What is the meaning of this?!" The King shouted.

Mina smiled and looked at the king. Luca always said to smile in the face of your enemies. It shows that you weren't afraid. And she wasn't.

"I'm fighting the Spear Hero, your Majesty."

"No! Why are you there? No one is allowed in the arena other than the Heroes!"

"Then pray tell, your Majesty, why is your daughter here as well?" Mina waved a hand at Malty. The princess huffed and glared at her. Mina shot back with another confident smile.

"She's…" The King faltered with his words.

"Surely those rules applied to her as well?" She looked up at the audience. "And surely you all saw the spell she cast? Or are all of you blind?"

The audience murmured loudly amongst themselves. Mina knew they saw what happened. They were willing to turn a blind eye against the Shield Hero.

"Mina?" Behind her, the Shield Hero staggered slightly until he was next to her.

"Relax, Shield Hero. I will take him down." She said, winking at him.

The Shield Hero, Naofumi, only stared back. His eyes spoke with confusion and skepticism. It was understandable. To him, she was a stranger. To her, she saw a part of herself in him.

"Hey," Motoyasu called out.

Mina turned. "Yes, Spear Hero?"

"Why are you doing this?" He still clutched his shoulder. "Did Naofumi force you to fight?"

"He did nothing to me. I am here on my own will."

"Then please go. I don't want to fight a girl." His eyes did show concern for her.

"Aww. Such a gentleman." She spun the dagger in her hand until it was pointed at Motoyasu. "Then I hope you don't mind if I do this."

Like a panther, she ran to him. Motoyasu yelped and jumped back, narrowly getting sliced.

"Quite the dancer you are." Mina went at it, forcing him back. She landed a few superficial cuts. "Though your technique is lacking."

Not once did Motoyasu use his spear. True to his words, he did not want to harm her. Such a silly notion.

"You will come to learn," she took out her fan from her leg strap and opened it, "that women can be just as deadly."

She fluttered the fan at him. A light blue mist started to form underneath him. Motoyasu only looked on with confusion.

The Mina brought her fan up. Columns of ice sprang from the mist and hit him straight in the gut. He flew in the air and landed hard.

"What do you think you're doing?" Malty shouted. "Get out of here or I will get the guards to-"

Mina fluttered her fan, not even looking back. Ice shot forward at Malty's feet. It traveled upward until she was encased in ice up to her neck.

"Please kindly stay out of this fight," Mina said with a smile.

Malty growled.

"Growling is not good for you. You look more dog than a princess. Actually, that would be an insult to dogs."

Motoyasu groaned and pushed himself up until he was on his hands and knees.

"Had enough, Spear Hero?" Mina walked to him until she was standing over him.

Motoyasu looked up and flinched when Mina opened her fan.

"Y-yes! Yes!" He crawled back. "I give! You win! He wins!"

With those words, the audience gasped.

Mina put her fan and dagger away and went up to Naofumi, who stood there in shocked silence. He's going to have to do better at concealing his feelings. She could see it all on his face.

Instead of standing in front of him, she went to his side and grabbed his right hand with her left. She drew out a purple cloth from the inside of her skirt and bowed, swishing the cloth.

Her dance was complete.

When Mina let go of his hand, Naofumi stared at her. She came into this fight out of nowhere, defeated Motoyasu, and bowed like she was done performing a dance.

In a way, she did. He just watched as she attacked Motoyasu. She did it in such a graceful way. The same way when she was performing yesterday. Her movements weren't rough or stiff, they were light and fluid. And her ice magic made the dance all the more captivating.

"Are you well, Naofumi?" She asked, placing a hand on his arm.

He didn't flinch from her touch.

"I'm fine." It was true, though he will need a lot of rest tonight. Maybe he'll sleep like a log and not wake up until mid-afternoon. It wasn't any different than the times he slept in when classes were canceled.

"That's good to know. I was worried when Motoyasu was going to strike you."

"Naofumi!"

Rachel had rushed in from one of the arena entrances. "You two did it! You won!"

She playfully punched him on the shoulder. He didn't react much to her enthusiasm, but the sentiment was there in his mind.

He turned to Mina. "Guess I owe you for saving me twice."

Mina waved a hand. "Think nothing of it. Originally, I was here to watch the fight. But when the princess cheated and intervened, I knew I couldn't let it slip by."

"Nice dagger throw, by the way."

"Thank you."

It was a strange feeling to be talking with her like she was already a member of his party. Given what had happened after Malty, his trust in others dwindled until it was nothing more than a small flame. Somehow, Rachel and Mina had stoked the flame until it burned slightly brighter.

"Shield Hero!" The King was approaching them followed by Malty who was supporting a beaten Motoyasu. "What is the meaning of this?"

Naofumi reigned in his anger at the King and crossed his arms. "I won the fight if that's what you're asking."

"You did no such thing. That dancer helped you, which violated the rules of the fight. Have you no decency to obey even the tiniest of rules?"

"If I may interject," Mina stepped forward, "your daughter cheated by using wind magic against him. If the rules say that no one can interfere, then she broke it first."

"I did no such thing!" Malty stood straight while supporting Motoyasu. "You must have been seeing things."

"Your wind magic was strong enough to reach the audience. The woman next to me had her hat blown off. I think it's safe to say we all saw what you did."

Malty scoffed.

"So, are there no winners?" Rachel looked at Motoyasu who could barely stand, let alone lift his head.

"The announcer said that the first to concede defeat will lose." Naofumi bore his eyes onto the King. "If the rules still apply, then I win."

Seeing the King writhe in anger pleased him. Let him try and do something underhanded again.

"He's right."

Behind the King, Ren and Itsuki came in.

"Though there was cheating on both sides," said Ren, "Motoyasu gave up first."

This was new. Since when were they taking his side?

"Yeah," Itsuki spoke up, "We saw what you did." He pinned his gaze on Malty.

"As fun as this conversation is," Mina made her way to the exit. "It's time I bid myself farewell. My job here is done. Good night, all of you." She bowed and left.

The audience stood and slowly began exiting. Ren and Itsuki followed suit with Malty dragging Motoyasu. The King gave Naofumi one last glare and left as well.

The fight was victorious. But Naofumi didn't feel like he had done anything to win.

In the end, it was Mina who won.

He was going to get answers out of her, even if he has to beg for it.

* * *

As soon as they exited the castle, Naofumi went off in the direction of the city gates.

"Wait up!" Rachel jogged up to him. "Where are we going? Traverse Inn is in the other direction."

"We're not going there. We're going to where the dancers are."

"Why?"

"I need answers."

Rachel didn't ask any questions and followed behind.

Twenty minutes later, they were outside of the city and made their way to the tents.

When they came into view, so did the many dancers the troupe had.

Naofumi couldn't help but look at them as they wove through the crowd. Men and women wearing dancing garb that ranged from revealing to modest. Many stopped what they were doing and whispered and pointed. They didn't look like they feared him. More like they were curious about him.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Rachel asked.

"I'm looking for that guy who presented Mina when she performed." It wasn't hard to miss someone as flamboyant as him dressed in bright colors.

Sure enough, he spotted the man talking to a woman. The woman looked the same age as the man, in their mid-forties, but compared to the man, she was more modest but still had an aura of confidence. She wore a loose dress with several pastel colors bleeding into each other. Her hair was in a loose bun with tendrils of brown hair falling up to her chin.

She briefly tore her gaze from the man and found Naofumi. She didn't react as much as others did when they saw him. Her expression was curious amusement. She said something to the man and he turned around. His expression was louder.

"Shield Hero!" He threw his arms open as if he was going to hug Naofumi. "This is a surprise! Come to watch our beautiful dancers?"

Before Naofumi could even say anything, the man shook a finger. "Because I will not let someone as cute as you distract our lovely dancers."

The playfulness in his voice didn't ebb away the annoyance Naofumi felt being called cute. It wasn't as bad as babyface, but cute?

"I think," the woman put a hand on the man's arm, "the Shield Hero is looking for Mina, Luca." She gave a pointed glance at Naofumi. "Am I right?"

Naofumi didn't want to entertain whatever game they were playing.

"Yeah," he finally said. "Can I speak with her about something."

"If you are professing your love to her, I think you will have some trouble," Luca said. "I heard she only like mature men."

"That's not it! I just want to talk with her."

"Merely a jest, Shield Hero. I swear, youth today are angry." Luca looked back at the woman. "Lana, be a dear and summon Mina."

"Of course." Lana curtsied and went off into one of the tents.

"So…" Rachel approached Luca. "By any chance are you or your dancers in need of medicine and salves?"

The two walked away, talking about cost. Left by himself, Naofumi found a crate and sat down.

Today was eventful, to say the least. He still couldn't fathom that he was stuck in a different world far from home. In a fantasy world with magic and monsters, this was still to false for him. He half expected to wake up from a fever dream and would no doubt go to therapy after waking up. But the scratches on his body and the soreness of his arms were real.

The scent of the grass, the feeling of the wind against his face, everything is real. It made no difference if he was back home.

If he were back home, he would be playing video games with Akito, attending his courses, or buying the latest figurine from his favorite anime. To anyone else, that may sound like a boring life. But to him, it was his normal.

Instead of being in his air-conditioned room, he was out here in the field waiting for a dancer.

To his left, he could see the dancers enjoying themselves near a campfire. Drums were beating, dancers were choreographing new routines. They were having fun. Their smiles showed no care in the world.

Surely they must've fought when the waves hit. He could the leg straps holding daggers on their legs. They knew hardship but still danced the night away.

Something blue appeared in the corner of his vision. He looked and immediately did a double take.

A man was walking to the campfire. He looked to be slightly older than him and had lean muscles. Naofumi could see those muscles because the dancer was hardly wearing anything.

The dancer wore sheer dark blue pants with a hole in each knee. His hips were on full display. Only the area around his crotch was well covered. Above, he wore a necklace adorned with a lapis lazuli. That necklace was holding fabric that wrapped around the man's pecs and back. To match with it, he wore fingerless gloves ending below his shoulders. On his head, he wore a purple headdress covering light brown hair that ended below his shoulder blades.

Naofumi could see every inch of the man's light skin. He was more revealing than Mina.

The man stopped and looked at him.

Naofumi couldn't keep his eyes off of him. He was… beautiful. There were no other words to describe him. He knew he was just staring at the man, but he couldn't help it.

The man smirked and winked at him. Naofumi could feel heat rush to his cheeks.

The man then continued walking to the campfire.

Naofumi reached up to his cheeks and could still feel the heat. This was different than when Malty flirted with him. And this was his first time a man was flirting with him.

"I see Alistair has caught your attention?"

Swiveling around quickly that he nearly fell off of the crate, Naofumi saw Mina standing a few feet from him.

"He is quite the looker," She continued. "He loves to show off as much as he can. No one can take their eyes off of him. He especially wears that garb when performing in front of men, if you understand what I'm saying." There was a playfulness to her tone.

"I-I wasn't…"

"You can't fool me, Naofumi. Now then, what is it you wanted to speak with me about?"

Naofumi stood and looked around the camp. He spotted Rachel selling some of her tonics to a few dancers.

"Rachel!"

Rachel turned and when she saw Mina, she waved to the dancers and jogged up to them.

"Can we talk somewhere private?" Naofumi didn't want to have any of the other dancers hear what he had to say.

"Follow me," Mina said as she began to walk.

She led them to a tent where it stored lots of musical instruments. Some Naofumi recognized and others he didn't.

Mina pulled out a few crates for them to sit down on.

"I take it you want to ask why I saved you from your fight with the Motoyasu?" She crossed her legs and rested her chin on her hands.

"Yeah, to put it simply."

"Hmm…" She tapped her finger against her chin.

After a moment, she spoke. "I was concerned about what was going to happen to you. I have on doubt my interference would make your battle a little more difficult. And I was right when Malty had attacked you."

"But why? You knew you would get in trouble." Rachel asked. "I'm grateful you helped him, but helping him put you on the King's shit list."

"I care not for what the King thinks of me. Anyone with compassion and a sense of justice would've done the same thing."

"That's the part I'm having trouble with," Naofumi looked right into her eyes. "You say all of this like it's something anyone would do. But I know you're not telling the truth."

The accusation was thrown out there like a hook to water. Naofumi learned that beating around the bush won't get him anywhere. Especially with Mina who used her words to influence and play around with people.

There was always the chance it wouldn't work. The knee to the crotch from Rachel cemented that. But Mina didn't look like someone who would do that.

Then again, she did have a dagger with her.

"So, you've noticed," Mina said after a while. "Guess I've underestimated you, Naofumi."

Mina shifted in her seat. She took a deep breath.

"The reason I helped you, was because I was in your shoes at one point. Or rather, I still am."

Naofumi stilled. She did?

"Don't misunderstand. I was not accused of a crime. But I do know the feeling of loneliness. The feeling that you have no one and when you do, you risk losing them."

There was a softness to her voice. She sounded… a little sad.

"This may come as a surprise to the both of you, but I actually come from nobility."

"You do?" Naofumi asked. She didn't look like someone who came from a rich and powerful family.

"Yes. My full name is Mina Kaldori. The Kaldori family was a prominent family who specialized in trading. My father was the owner of a trading business that brought different goods from different countries. He even got goods from Innis. And my mother was in the business as well, but she worked with clothes instead."

"Was?"

"Yes." Mina's eyes seemed to have dulled from saying that.

"So you're an orphan, then?"

She hesitated as if she didn't know what to say. It confused him. She referred to her parents in the past tense, then they must be dead.

"I actually don't know." Mina finally said.

What?

"You don't know?" Naofumi leaned forward, intrigued.

"It's a bit complicated. Since you're new here, I take it you didn't learn about the Sunset Incident?"

Sunset Incident?

"No."

"Then I'll let Rachel explain." Mina looked at Rachel.

Rachel adjusted herself on the crate.

"Well, the Sunset Incident happened a few years before I was born. I only know about it because it's mentioned in our history lessons as a great tragedy."

"What kind?" Naofumi asked.

"It's a bit of a long story. One day, a group of nobles was invited to attend a party at a mansion in a city called Novi. They were invited by the richest couple in the city. It was supposed to be a simple party. But things went south real fast.

"At sunset, a group of people broke in and started killing the nobles. Men, women, even children. No one survived, not even the servants. They left quickly just as they came in. Not long after that, other nobles in different cities were being killed. It was bad that a lot of nobles went into hiding until the killings stopped. Since then, no noble family has been a target from those assassins. That's the gist of it, anyway."

"She is correct," Mina said. "The Sunset Incident caused a nation-wide panic among the nobles and even the common folk. The assassins in question were known as the Black Foxes."

"And these black foxes killed your parents?" Naofumi asked.

"No."

"No?"

"A few months after the Sunset Incident, the Black Foxes were going to kill my parents. I was only a few days old when the plan went into motion. But my parents built their mansion to have several escape routes just in case. They took one and were able to escape.

"But they knew they had to keep running. Otherwise, they would be killed."

"So why are you here then? Isn't it dangerous for you to be wandering around if the Black Foxes were after your parents?"

Again, Mina went silent.

"A week after escaping, my parents knew that it wasn't safe for me to be with them. I was only about two weeks old and it's hard to move around with a newborn. They came across a village with an orphanage. There, they made the choice to leave me."

A pang of sadness his Naofumi's heart. Though he kept his heart guarded, he still sympathized for others. Mina was right in that they were somewhat alike.

He was alone in this world. And so was she.

"That's why you helped me. Because you were alone."

Mina nodded. "In some ways, I still am. Before they left, my parents wrote me a letter explaining why they put me in an orphanage. And in that letter, was a picture of us. It was the one thing my mother took with her. My father gave me a necklace with a pendant that bore our family crest. Those are the only things I have left of them."

Seeing the sadness in her eyes was a punch to the gut. In the weeks he's been here, all he has done was complain about how crappy his life was because of Malty. But back home, he had his parents and his brother. A family. A home. Mina didn't have any of that.

She was alone.

"How'd you end up in the dancing troupe, then?" He asked wanting to steer clear of the sadness.

Mina looked thankful for the shift in conversation. "The village I was in was fairly big enough for the troupe to stop by and perform. The other orphans and I were invited free of charge to watch them. When they came on stage, I fell in love with their dancing. Something about it just felt natural to me. I wanted to get up and dance to the beat of the drums." Her lips tugged upwards.

"When they left, I tried to copy their dancing. I was only a kid, so it was sloppy at first. When I got older, I told the couple who ran the orphanage that I wanted to join Lula's. They're a really nice couple and cared for all the children. They were thrilled to know I wanted to dance. When I turned eighteen, I packed whatever I owned and joined Lula's. For the next six years, I danced away."

The way she told the story was tragic yet uplifting. She was alone yet still found a way to live and enjoy life.

"When the King had you and Rachel separated, I saw your eyes. They showed anger, resentment, and loneliness. You would've been left alone had Motoyasu won. And when it looked like you were about to lose the fight, I knew I couldn't let you be alone."

Now it made sense.

"I'm a complete stranger, you know," Naofumi pointed out. "And pretty much everyone hates me. You're not getting yourself any good points by helping a scum like me."

"You are not scum, Naofumi," Mina shook her head. "You are just a man who needed help and help you I did. Not everyone in this world is out to get you."

Naofumi took her words into consideration. Rachel had helped him escape the bandits because to her, it was the right thing to do. She's an apothecary who wants to help the sick. Mina helped because she knew the feeling of being alone.

These two women, these two complete strangers had helped him. Maybe Mina was right.

Maybe…

He stood. "Thanks for answering. Sorry if I interrupted anything you were doing."

Mina followed suit. "You weren't. I was just about to remove my make-up."

The three of them left the tent and Mina bid them good-bye as Naofumi and Rachel headed back to Castle Town.

In Traverse Inn, Naofumi was lying down on his bed looking up at the ceiling. The grinding and mixing sound of Rachel making tonics somehow eased him. If there was sound, it meant his thoughts wouldn't take over.

It was hard to ignore Mina's story. In some ways, she did have it rough growing up not knowing your parents or if they are still alive.

He closed his eyes, hoping his dreams wouldn't be about tragedy.

* * *

Mina tossed and turned in bed, failing to find any comfortable position. That, along with telling her story to Naofumi and Rachel, brought back memories of the orphanage.

The owners, Hal and Carol, were the closest thing she ever had to parents. They loved all the children in the orphanage. From the little babes to the older ones, their love comforted them all when they believed no one wanted them.

Some of the kids had parents who couldn't take care of them and left them. Others had parents who just didn't want them. Others had parents who died.

Mina didn't know which one she belonged in. Her parents could've taken care of her had it not been for the Black Foxes. She knew she was loved by her parents, otherwise, they wouldn't have left the letter, the drawing, and the pendant. Were they dead?

She did not know. And she may never know.

Lula's was an escape. The years at the orphanage wasn't bad. She loved everyone there. But Lula's was a new experience. At the orphanage, she was just Mina. At Lula's, she was Mina, a dancer.

In the many theaters, mansions, and alehouses she performed in, she would dance away, never once thinking about her life before Lula's.

That changed when she saw Naofumi.

Giving up on sleeping, she reached for her bag and took out the letter. After all these years, the letter was still in good condition. It was folded and put in-between the pages of a romance novel she kept.

Unfolding the letter, she wondered if her mother or father had written it.

_Our little Mina,_

_We never imagined you would have to read something so heartbreaking. We are so sorry to have to put you through this. If we could change time and fate, we would do it in a heartbeat._

_If you are reading this letter, then you are old enough to understand why we had to leave you. Do not be mad at Hal and Carol. We told them to hold on to this letter and give it to you when you were old enough._

_The reason why we left you was that your life and ours were in danger. The pendant you have bores our family crest, the Kaldoris. We were a known family who dealt with trading. And because of our nobility, it made us targets to assassins._

_By now, you may have heard about the Sunset Incident. A group known as the Black Foxes had killed all of those families, leaving no one alive. The carnage didn't stop there. More noble families were killed. We knew it was a matter of time before we were next._

_When they did come, we took a secret passageway and escaped. We ran for days and days, hoping to find some sanctuary somewhere. But after so many days of running, we knew it would take a long time before we settle down. The Black Foxes will not give up until we are killed._

_It was then that we decided to make the tough decision to leave you at an orphanage._

_Mina, this does not mean we didn't want you. We truly did. You were a blessing to us. Your life meant so much more than ours. We would lay down our lives if it meant you would have a chance of living. Which is why it was best if you weren't with us. If the Black Foxes found us, you would die along with us._

_When we came across the orphanage, we told Hal and Carol our story and they didn't hesitate to take you in. We knew you would be in good hands. _

_Before we left, we left you this letter, a drawing, and the pendant. It's very important that you do not reveal your last name. Make one up in case you are asked for your full name. _

_This may come as a surprise to you, but we didn't have a name for you yet when you were born. The day before we left, we finally decided on Mina. That means the Black Foxes don't know your first name._

_We don't know what will happen to you or to us. We may be dead or alive. That all depends on whether or not the Black Foxes will give up. But just because they may decide to end their search, it won't be safe if we reveal our identities. We have changed our names because of it._

_This may be too much to bear, especially for someone your age, but please understand, we wanted to keep you safe. You were only a newborn after all, not even a month old yet. You deserve the chance to live._

_There's a saying the Kaldoris have. "The hawk shall protect all." Hawks may not be as big as eagles or other birds, but they are swift and intelligent. You are a Kaldori. One day, you will have friends or even a family you want to protect. The same way we protected you._

_Mina, please find happiness. We love you no matter what. If fate decides to bring us back together, it will be a most joyful reunion. If not, then continue living._

_Love, your parents._

She has read this letter who knows how many times. Each word was written was out of love. She ran her fingers across them, hoping to feel the love from her parents.

_The hawk shall protect all._

She stuffed the letter back into the book. In the morning, the troupe will leave. Off to another city or kingdom.

_The hawk shall protect all._

The Black Foxes were still out there. If her parents are alive, they were in danger. Noble families were in danger.

_The hawk shall protect all._

She knew what she had to do.

Mina got up and put on her sandals. She left the women's tent and went straight for the tent Luca and Lana shared. No doubt they will still be up counting their finances and preparing for the travel.

When she came upon the tent, a faint light glowed from the inside.

She opened the flap, startling Luca and Lana.

"There's something I have to tell you both."

* * *

"I really don't want to do this."

Outside of the castle, Naofumi leaned against a wall, looking up at the towering building. The windows were almost like eyes, gazing down on him.

"Quit being such a baby," Rachel elbowed him in the side. "We'll just go in, collect our reward, and leave. Simple as that. Unless you decide to be a dumbass and piss them off even more."

"They're already pissed at me. And Motoyasu will be even more pissed knowing he lost the fight."

When they left Traverse Inn and made their way to the castle, Naofumi didn't miss the whispers or the pointed glances he received. If he were to step into the throne room, it will probably be worse.

"Let's just go in already," Rachel said, shifting her satchel. "We'll be out of here as soon as we get the reward. Then we can do whatever we want."

When he couldn't come up with an excuse, Naofumi pushed himself away from the wall. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

They didn't take a few steps when their names were shouted.

"Naofumi! Rachel!"

Turning around, they both saw Mina running up the stairs. When she caught up to them, she readjusted the bag she had slung over her shoulders.

"Thank the Gods I found you both. I was worried I wouldn't get to see you."

"What are you doing here?" Naofumi asked.

"Is Lula's leaving already?" Rachel asked.

Mina nodded. "Yes. The troupe is preparing to leave. They're putting away the tents as we speak and moving the furniture as well. They'll be traveling to another kingdom, so you won't see them for a while."

"Then you're here to say goodbye?" Naofumi didn't expect her to show up out of nowhere, especially far away from the gates to say goodbye.

"No silly. I'm here to join your party."

…huh?

"You're what?" Did he hear that correctly?

"Last night, after your visit, I realized that I could do so much more than just dancing. I love dancing, but more than anything, I want to know if my parents are still alive. There's only so much I can do as a dancer. If I were to travel with you, I will be able to visit more cities and villages who may have some information on my parents."

She bowed. "Please, I know I'm asking a lot from you. And I'm a still a stranger to you both. But this is my only means of knowing if my parents are fine. I have- I _need_ to know. So please, let me join your party."

Naofumi already had a number of reasons why she shouldn't join. She was right when she said they were strangers. If he couldn't trust anyone, why should he trust her? A dancer with a past that could get in the way.

But, she did save him. She stopped Motoyasu from winning and taking Rachel away. A stranger helping a stranger.

"You know who I am, right?" He might as well start with this.

"I am aware, yes." Mina nodded.

"Then you know that your name will be tarnished if you're with someone like me."

"I do not care what others think of me. If it means my reputation will be hurt, then I will gladly accept it if it means finding my parents."

He didn't know if she was being stupid or brave. Probably the latter.

"It isn't safe out there," he pressed on. "There's always the chance you could get hurt or die."

"I can take care of myself. I was taught how to use daggers and my folding fan. You saw how dangerous I can be."

…

He turned and began walking to the castle.

"If you betray me, I won't hesitate to kick you out."

Mina rose from her bow and looked at Naofumi's back.

"Then…"

She looked to Rachel who shrugged while smiling. "Welcome aboard. Don't worry, you'll get used to it." She then followed Naofumi.

Mina stood there, stunned by how quickly Naofumi had accepted her. Before he turned, she saw a glimmer in his eyes. It wasn't a hopeful glimmer or a glimmer of annoyance. It was a glimmer of… acceptance.

They were two lonely people seeking guidance in a world where they felt like everyone is against them. Him being treated like trash. And her, having her family life taken away by the Black Foxes.

Was that why he let her join? Or something else.

Whatever the reason, it did not stop the hope that was blooming inside of her.

She was going to find her parents. Alive or dead, she wanted closure.

Mina looked at the horizon, to the fields and mountains and deserts and other places that awaited her. Already, she felt like dancing.

Giggling, she caught up to Naofumi and Rachel.

The world before her is her stage, and she will dance away.

* * *

**New Party Member Added!**

**Name: Mina Kaldori**

**LV: 30**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 24**

**Class: None**

**Occupation: Dancer**


	13. Chapter 12

The throne room felt stuffy. Naofumi fought the urge to tug on the collar of his shirt to let his chest breathe in cool air. Through the windows, sunlight cast down on them, illuminating the room. Beside him, the other heroes stood. He could see the sweat forming on Itsuki's brow but the boy didn't raise an arm to wipe it away.

He glanced back behind him and there, along with the heroes' party members, Rachel and Mina watched on. When the three of them entered the throne room, the heroes and even the King and Malty visibly flinched when they saw Mina with him. She winked at them with a playful smile and joined Rachel on the sidelines.

Naofumi felt a sense of pride in his team of misfits. Already, they were building a name for themselves. He and Rachel saved a village and Mina single handily took down a Cardinal Hero. Legends, they might not be. Heroes, definitely not. But at least they were not to be messed with.

"Ahem." The King stood straight on his throne. "As a reward for your brave efforts in battling the monsters from the wave, I will grant you all your rewards."

He gestured to an assistant holding bags of coins.

As she handed their coins and the King announced their earnings, Naofumi noticed that one bag didn't look at filled as the other ones. He scoffed. Of course the King would give him less. Even after saving a village from being torn to the ground, he still got nothing.

Well, Rachel did have lots of gold coins thanks to her business. That was something.

"And as agreed upon, the King said, "I have set aside a total of 500 silver coins for the Shield Hero."

500 silver coins. It wasn't much, but it'll do.

He reached for the bag, only to have the assistant pull back.

"However, since it's offset by the cost of freeing his slave from her curse, he will not receive any compensation."

What?

They were still going with the idea that Rachel was his slave?

"Again with this?" Rachel called out. She broke away from the group and stood by Naofumi. "I told you idiots before that I'm not a slave."

A sharp gasp escaped from a few of the servants stationed at the far end of the room.

Before the King could reprimand her, Mina came by. "What I think she means is," she put a hand on Rachel's shoulder, "is that you have no proof that she is a slave. As neither am I, your Majesty. We joined Naofumi willingly."

The King's brows drew together. Naofumi could practically see the steam coming from his ears. He was not used to being talked back at.

"And what is it with that pocket change?" Rachel asked. "We saved a village. I think we deserve a little more, don't you think?"

Naofumi watched on in awe of these two women. They were older than him and much more experience than he ever had. Granted, he came from a world of technology and different principles while these two grew up in a world with harsh yet livable conditions. He mentally reminded himself to watch how they talk and interact with people.

"She's right."

All heads turned to Itsuki.

"He deserves to earn his money. After all, you interfered with his duel with Motoyasu. I think it's fair he earns the money from winning."

"I agree," Ren spoke. This made Motoyasu look at him with a stunned expression. "The rules said that whoever conceded defeat loses the match. And that's what Motoyasu did."

"Hey!" Motoyasu stepped up to him. "I didn't lose that fight."

"You two are mistaken, Sir Itsuki, Sir Ren," Malty said with a cocky expression. "The rules clearly stated that is was a one-on-one duel between the Shield Hero and the Spear Hero. Naofumi had monsters with him. And the dancer interfered with the match. He broke the rules, which is why father did not declare him the winner."

"Oh-ho?" Mina drew her lips into a smile that challenged Malty's. "Are you forgetting, Princess, that you cast that wind spell on Naofumi? Surely you would've remembered that, as did the audience. Lying is so unbecoming of a lady."

"You dare question me?" There was a sharp edge to her voice.

"Just stating the obvious, is all."

Ren had stepped forward from the group. "She isn't lying. We all saw what you did. Even if Naofumi had monsters with him, Motoyasu would've won if you hadn't used that spell. And I heard that it was Naofumi and Rachel who saved the village, not the knights. You owe them the money."

Suddenly, Naofumi had a newfound respect for the loner. He still had that I'm-better-than-you attitude, but he was honest.

The King grunted. "Fine. The Shield Hero gets the minimum of 500 silver coins. No more, no less."

The assistant held out the bag and Naofumi grabbed it before the King could say anything else.

"Well, you have it. Be gone with you!"

By now, he still wasn't used to his contempt. He saved a village! Yet he was still treated as an outsider. A nobody.

He strode forward, only to have Mina place a hand on his chest.

"We humbly thank you, your Majesty." She kept her gaze at the King while keeping him in place. "Though I'm sure we'll be able to manage just fine, with or without the silver coins."

She turned to Rachel. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she was talking about.

"Y-yeah!" She came up to them. "I can make double what you gave us. Still, a little pocket change wouldn't hurt."

"Shall we leave then? The air in here is too stuffy. It's bad for the skin."

Naofumi realized what they were doing. They knew he would start something with the King and stopped him. They not only held him back, but subtlety insulted the King too.

A strange feeling bloomed in his heart. It wasn't trust. Rather, it was something close to trust. It was hard to imagine there were people out there who would have his back despite the accusation that hung over his head like a storm cloud.

Elhart. Rachel. Mina.

Three people. Not enough, but it was better than nothing.

Following Mina's behavior, he mocked bow. "Thanks." He turned on his heel to the doors. "Let's go."

He heard the women's footsteps as they followed.

Outside the castle, he released a big sigh. "Well, that could've gone better."

"Tell me about it." Rachel said. "You were this close to pissing off the King with whatever it was you were going to say."

"She is correct," Mina said. "You must reign in your anger, Naofumi. One wrong move or choice of word and your livelihood could become worse."

"Worse than having the entire country hating me?"

"There are far things worse than that."

He got the feeling that she was right. Being treated like trash is nothing compared to being executed. Or worse.

"He could've at least thanked me for saving the village. They didn't even care. All he cared was those guys taking down the wave boss."

"Be that as it may, you will come across several people who are conniving and dangerous. Dangerous than the King and Malty. I should know. Us dancers are always careful when we travel to new places."

If only he had her skills with words and gestures.

"So," Rachel bobbed up and down on her toes, "what now? We got the money. Is there something we should be doing other than standing out here?"

Now that they got the reward, it was entirely up to them what their next move should be. Unless they were summoned by the King or if the next wave was going to it, they were basically free to roam around.

Naofumi stuffed his hands in his pockets. This was a habit he did when he needed to think. If he was going out and had no idea where to go, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

Where to go next? That was a good question.

He gazed at the city and the first thing he spotted was the familiar colors of a tent. It was impossible to not notice the red and white, even if they were faded from the sunlight.

"There's this place I want to stop by," he said. "Though I'm not sure if you two will like it."

Rachel put a hand to her hip. "Have you met us?"

Mina stifled a laugh.

"True." He began walking. "Come on."

The two women looked at each other. They knew what they were getting themselves into when they joined him. Best to go with the flow. They followed him.

* * *

"Well well well, it's been a while since you came here. Did you change your mind about getting a slave?"

Naofumi would be lying if he didn't think The Slave Trader's smile was creepy. With his gold glasses that blocked out his eyes, his short stature, and his deep voice, everything about him screamed creepy.

When he first entered the tent not long after being branded a rapist, he knew about the man's business. What better than scum like him buying and trading with another scum?

That was until he saw the cages. Peering through the metal bars, he could see slaves hiding in what little shadow the cage offered. Seeing the Beastmen and a few Demi-Humans sent a chill down his spine. Try as he might to hold on to his apathetic attitude, this was wrong.

He looked through some more cages. One cage, in particular, caught his attention. Unlike the rest of them, this one was empty.

When he asked the Slave Trader about it, he said that he was supposed to receive a Demi-Human from a village that was overrun by a wave. He didn't get any. Which was probably a good thing.

In the end, Naofumi left without a slave. Which may have been a good thing. A few days later, he met Rachel.

"Just here to browse." He walked and looked at the various items the Slave Trader had displayed.

Behind him, Rachel and Mina skirted around the Slave Trader.

"Um," Rachel put a hand on Naofumi's shoulder. "Should we be concerned that you're buddy-buddy with a freaking slave trader? How do you even know this creep?"

"Told you guys wouldn't like this place."

"It's not that we don't like it." Mina picked up a golden necklace. "It's just… we didn't expect you to be associated with someone who takes pleasure in receiving money at the expense of slaves."

"Sorry to disappoint."

He did feel guilty, knowing that he considered buying a slave. Even if slavery was legal here, it didn't feel right to own one. He still had his morals.

"You wound me, lady," the Slaver Trader said. "It's merely a business. We all have to make a living, don't we?"

"I'll kindly leave you to your business, then." Mina set down the necklace. "What did you have in mind to look for, Naofumi?"

There was a lot to look at. Which was a problem. Being that he was still getting used to this world, the trinkets and objects the Slave Trader had might as well be useless to him if he didn't know their purpose. The necklace Mina was holding could store magical elements in it. Or it could just be a regular gold necklace.

It was hard to pick apart the stuff that could be useful to him versus the stuff that would be useless.

An open box caught his eye. The box was open, revealing sixteen eggs with eyes drawn on them. At least he did think they were drawn on.

"What are those?"

The Slave Trader grabbed the box. "This is a monster egg lottery. You could get your own very creature! For a hundred silvers, you could get your very own filolial."

"A what?" Was this another strange monster he hasn't seen yet.

"Filolials," Rachel said. "You've seen them around, haven't you? Those giant birds that pull wagons and carriages."

It hit him that he did remember seeing giant birds pulling wagons through the city. They were the ones that looked like Chocobos from Final Fantasy.

"What's more," the Slave Trader went on, "you'll probably get a dragon! Now that is a rare creature worth a lot more than a filolial! How about it, Shield Hero? You interested? Pick one. Go on."

He was being very persistent. Must come with the job of being a merchant. And like most merchants, they push their wares in front of you and are good at bargaining.

"Is that like a gacha game or something?" There was no way in hell he would be winning a dragon. He recalled all the hours and money he spent on those gacha games on his phone.

"Gacha?" Rachel, who was looking through a crate stopped to look at him. "The hell is that?"

"Is that a form of gambling in your world?" Mina asked.

Crap. He shouldn't have said that.

"Err… kind of?" He really didn't want to go into detail about that when _he _didn't know much.

"How about it?" The Slave Trader was now up in his face. "Give it a shot! Act now and I'll give you a special deal. How about it?"

A few minutes later, the trio left the tent. Empty handed.

Naofumi sighed. "I hope I don't regret not buying an egg."

"It was the best choice," Rachel pointed out. "There's no telling what we'll get from those eggs. I'd bet half of my tonics that he painted those markings on them to make them look real."

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you. You need to learn a thing or two about merchants."

She really was like an older sister, chastising him and reminding him about what was right and what was wrong. Was this how Akito felt?

"I agree with her," Mina adds. "When I was still in Lula's, we had to be careful about spending our money, especially when it comes to clothing and jewelry. Luca and Lana taught us to know the difference between good quality products and bad quality."

Speaking of which…

"Were they okay with you leaving the troupe?" Naofumi asked. "That Luca guy made you sound like you're the best dancer out there."

Mina smiled. "You flatter me, Naofumi. Luca says that about all the dancers. To answer your question, they gave me permission to live. After I told them about my situation, they were more than willing to let me go. All the other dancers cried and I couldn't help but cry with them. But this is what I wanted."

He had never been in a club or a group before, so he couldn't imagine leaving one day. Granted, Mina was looking for her parents so her situation was unique.

"Have any idea where your parents could be?"

"If I had to guess, they must be hiding in a small village. Or maybe they're in a different country? The letter they left with me didn't give any hints."

"So how will you know where to find them?" It sounded like a hopeless mission.

"I just have to keep my eyes and ears open when we're at a village or a city."

Elhart's shop came into view.

Entering the shop, Naofumi spotted the man hunkering down in front of a display case, arranging weapons.

"We're back, Old Man."

"Hey there, Kid." He rose and turned, eyes widening slightly when he spotted Mina.

He was quiet for a few seconds. "You sure you're not building yourself a harem, Kid?"

"You.." The retort was ready, but Naofumi held it in. Let him think what he wants. After everything, harems were the least on his mind. Thanks to a certain s_omeone, _she ruined harems.

"Do you have any daggers our new friend could use? Preferably something sharp and deadly?"

"You got it, Kid. What kind of daggers do you need?" Elhart ushered her to a wall holding several daggers.

Naofumi took his usual seat by the counter. Beside him, Rachel had set her satchel on the counter and was going through it.

"Have everything you need?" He asked. If she was short on tonics, it would spell trouble for them. Despite his blending ability, Rachel said making tonics with that ability would work tenfold if they used the right ingredients.

"Just about." She opened a flap on the side and peered in. "Shit."

"What?"

"I'm almost out of goba berries," she sighed and closed the flap.

"And… they're important?"

"If you want ingredients for a medicine to cure the flu, fevers, and skin blotches, yes. I still have enough to make maybe three vials, but it's not enough." She shouldered her satchel.

"Why not go to the medicine man? He should have some."

Rachel shook her head. "I asked when I first got here and he said he doesn't have any. Thankfully there's a village west of here that grows them. Can we stop by and get them? It isn't that far of a walk."

If having more of those berries meant they could earn more coins, then he didn't have a problem with it.

"Sure, why not."

"Thanks."

"All done!"

Mina sheeted in a new dagger into her leg strap. "Elhart here knew exactly what I was looking for. Never knew you were so well acquainted with such a blacksmith, Naofumi."

He shrugged. "He makes good company."

Elhart chuckled while shaking his head. "I could say the same thing about you, Kid."

This was somewhat nice. He was with people who weren't hurling insults or glares at him. The moment wouldn't last forever, though.

"Now that we got Mina's daggers," he pushed himself up from the chair. "We already have a place to go to. Rachel needs some berries. We'll stock up and be on our way. It might be a while before we're summoned for a mission, so let's take some time to get more experience."

"Before you guys go," Elhart dug into his pockets and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "The medicine shop owner and the magic shop owner wanted me to remind you they have something you might like."

"Really?" He was on somewhat good terms with the medicine man but never met the magic shop owner. What would they want to give him?

"They told me that they had family living in Lute Village. You saved them from the monsters. Guessing they want to give you something as thanks for saving them."

"See?" Rachel clamped a hand on his shoulder. "It does pay to be a hero. We get free stuff! And free stuff is the best stuff."

She wasn't wrong in that part.

"Guess we can go now."

"See ya, Elhart!" Rachel winked at him.

"Come back soon, little lady."

"A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Elhart." Mina curtseyed.

Exiting the shop, Naofumi strode forward.

Things were becoming livelier with them now that Mina joined.

It felt… good.

* * *

The sun was at its high as the trio made their way to the village that grew goba berries. Westbrook was its name and Rachel pointed out that it sits near a river.

It would take them roughly an hour to get there by foot and already they cleared about thirty minutes of walking.

"Kind of wishing we gotten one of those monster eggs." Naofumi groaned.

"Those things take a while to hatch, you know?" Rachel said. "A little walk isn't going to hurt you."

"An hour of walking is not a little. It's a lot."

He had to remember that Rachel and Mina had more stamina than he did. Rachel walked for a living traveling to villages and cities to sell medicine. And Mina danced for six years. They had a huge advantage over him.

The magic shop lady proved that further. After they had gotten the grimoire from the medicine shop guy, they visited her next and there, they found out their affinities. He and Rachel shared healing magic but where they differed was Rachel's ability to cause status ailments and wield fire magic and him having support magic.

Mina's affinities were ice, illusion, and support. Basically, she could buff up their skills.

Their skills combined made them a force to be reckoned with.

With grimoires from the medicine shop guy and the magic lady, they could learn more spells. Granted, Naofumi couldn't read the language of each book. Thankfully Rachel and Mina offered to help him understand it. Which added more lessons on making medicine.

"It really was nice of them to assist us," Mina said.

"Yeah, it was." Naofumi still felt genuine happiness in his heart after those two helped them. He smiled in what felt like days. A true smile. Not a fake one.

"Tell me about it." Rachel took out the grimoire the medicine shop guy gave them. "With this book, I can learn new ways to make medicine!" She hugged the tome tightly.

"You should've seen the look in your eyes," Naofumi said. "I thought you were going to kiss him for a second there."

"I may like older men, but not that old." She put the grimoire away in her satchel. "Unless he's good in bed despite his age."

Naofumi shook his head. He'll never understand her preferences.

"How long until we reach the village?"

"Fifteen minutes, give or take. Listen, you can hear the river. That means we're close."

He could hear it. It started off softly, but as they continued walking, he could hear the sound of a babbling brook. That brook soon widened and became a river.

"Look." Rachel pointed to the horizon. "There's Westbrook. You can see the bell tower from here."

The village came into view and as Rachel said, a tall bell tower made of brick was like a beacon. The village itself was surrounded by a fence that was maybe about ten feet tall.

"Great. We can get the berries and rest here for a day."

Entering the village, Naofumi noticed how empty it was. It looked like a fairly large village from afar and the inside was dotted with several cottages and stone buildings. But only a handful of people were outside.

And they wore masks covering their mouth and nose.

"Uhh… is this normal?" Naofumi didn't know much about diseases or how they worked, but an almost empty looking village and people wearing masks isn't a good sign.

"No. Something's wrong." Rachel looked around and grabbed the nearest villager – who was wearing a mask - by the arm. "Excuse me, is there something going on? I'm an apothecary, I can help."

The villager's eyes crinkled the way it would when someone smiles. "Thank the Gods. You'd best go to the courthouse. It's been turned into a hospital. The mayor can tell you what's wrong."

When the villager left, Naofumi began looking for the courthouse. Every bone in his body, right down to the pinky toe told him to get out of here. There was no telling if whatever sickness was going around this village was like any sickness from his world.

But like in Lute Village, if this place needed saving, he would help.

Don't ask him why he would help. He doesn't even know the answer.

After a few minutes of searching, they found the courthouse nestled between two shops. When they entered, the main room – big enough to fit more than a hundred people – was crowded with makeshift beds and people running back and forth carrying trays of water.

"What sickness is this?" Mina asked as she saw a little girl no more than eight coughing violently. The girl's mother, who looked like she was on the verge of tears, patted her back and whispered words into her ear.

"Time to find out." Rachel stood on her toes and looked for the mayor. She found a chubby man refilling the cups of water near the stage. He wore a sash of red and gold wrapped around a light blue button vest.

"Found him."

She pushed her way through the beds covering her mouth and nose. Naofumi and Mina did the same thing as they followed.

The mayor noticed them and handed off his ladle to the person next to him and went around the table.

"Who are you three?" He asked, removing a handkerchief and dabbing his sweaty forehead.

"We're sorry to intrude," Rachel began, "I'm an apothecary. I came here to get goba berries. But if you all need help, I think I have some medicine you can use."

The mayor looked like he was about to burst into tears. "Thank you!" He reached out and grabbed Rachel's hands. "You have no idea how thankful we are for you."

Rachel shook her head. "It's my job. Now," she pulled out her medical journal, "can you tell me the symptoms?"

"Well then," the mayor scratched at the small stubble on his chin. "The doctors here have noted coughs, high fever, blue blotches on the skin, and muscle spasms."

Rachel stopped skimming through the pages. From behind, Naofumi noticed the sudden stiffness to her posture, like she received bad news and doesn't know how to react.

"I-I'm sorry," she looked back up at the mayor. "C-can you repeat the symptoms?"

The mayor repeated the symptoms and Rachel flipped through the book with urgency.

"What the hell?" She stopped at a page and Naofumi could see a drawing of a human with inky splotches on the body as well as a detailed list.

"Is it bad?" he asked. If people were losing control of their muscles, then it must be serious.

"More than bad." Rachel ran a finger down the list. "This… this shouldn't be happening."

"What's wrong?" Mina came around and peered at the book.

"I… I don't know." Rachel shut her book. "This is Frost Sickness."

"What's that?" Naofumi asked.

"It's a disease that attacks the skin and muscles. It starts off as a cough, then turns into a fever, and finally, blue blotches start appearing on the skin and the muscles start spasming like they're shivering."

"Is it curable?"

"It is, yes. It's not fatal, though you will be sick for a week or two before it goes away on its own. But there is medicine for it."

"Then what's the problem? If there was a cure for it, why is she freaking out about it?"

"Because Frost Sickness is a seasonal disease. It only shows up in winter and in case you haven't noticed," she pointed to a window. "We're at the end of spring. Far from winter."

"I can confirm this," Mina spoke up. "In my time at the orphanage and at Lula's, I've seen my friends get bedridden from Frost Sickness during the winter. This is certainly… strange, to say the least."

"It's just as I feared." The mayor slumped down onto a chair. "I was doubting it, but it's true. Why? Why is this happening to my village?" He looked utterly defeated.

"Don't worry," Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder, patting it. "I'll be able to cure it. I just need the goba berries. Can you point me in the direction they grow in?"

"They're right past the village. Just keep following the river and you'll come across a spot where they grow. But…"

This doesn't sound good.

"But?"

"A wave monster has been spotted around that area. A chimera."

A silence hung in the air.

"Fuck."

Naofumi's gaze went to the mayor. "What does this chimera look like? Maybe we can kill it."

The mayor's eyes landed on the shield. His eyes widened slightly before looking up. Naofumi expected to see some type of contempt in his eyes. Only, he found hope shimmering in the mayor's green eyes.

"The chimera has the body of a tiger and a goat's head sticking out from its side. The goat uses healing magic. The mercenaries living here tried to fight it but had to retreat. Please kill it, Shield Hero. I've heard what you did in Lute Village. Please save my village."

There it was again. The feeling of being wanted. When the magic shop lady thanked him for saving her grandchild, her words cut deep into his heart. She thanked him from the bottom of her heart.

Then he remembered the words of the villagers of Lute. Of the mother holding her child, looking at him with kindness and sincere gratitude.

Now this man is putting his faith in him.

His heart panged with… happiness. He was needed.

"You can count on us."

The mayor looked ready to hug him but refrained himself. "Bless you, Shield Hero."

"Leave this to us," Mina said. "We'll take care of this nasty chimera and get the berries."

"Right!" Rachel hefted her satchel. "We got this."

With new found confidence, they left the village and began following the river.

"Hey," Rachel said, looking at Naofumi. "Sorry if this sidetracked you. I know you didn't plan on fighting a chimera."

Normally, he would've agreed with her. He hasn't even seen a chimera yet, so he has no idea what's in store for him.

But oddly, he didn't mind. He felt helpful. Needed.

"No worries," was all he said.

Each step he took reaffirmed something he thought he would never see.

Slowly, he was becoming a hero.

* * *

**Already we have a new strange conflict going on. And it's Rachel's time to shine.**

**I'm sure some of you are wondering about Raphtalia and Filo. Well, I can't say what happened to them but they will make an appearance. Just not now.**

**Thanks again for reading!**


	14. Chapter 13

"There it is."

Naofumi barely registered Rachel's voice. He could barely even comprehend a coherent thought when he first saw it.

On a field of berries, a creature that shouldn't exist lay sleeping on its side. At first glance, it was a tiger with rich tawny fur striped black. The noticeable differences were that one of the nails was longer than the others and curved. Its tail was sharp instead of ending in a bulb like most tigers.

However, it wasn't the tiger that sent Naofumi into a momentary state of bewilderment. It was the goat head protruding from the side. It was the embodiment of body horror. It was as if the tiger grew another head only on the side of its body. And a goat's head at that.

When they set off to the field where the mayor told them the goba berries grew, Naofumi didn't expect much from the chimera. He fought zombies and wasps the size of his head.

This… this was not what he was expecting.

He knew the basics of what a chimera technically was. Except what he knew was based purely on myth. And the popular depiction of a chimera usually was a lion's head, a goat's body, and the tail the head of a serpent. Then there were nue. The face of a monkey, having legs of a tiger, the body of a tanuki, and the tail also being a serpent.

By all accounts, this chimera fit the definition.

And if the goat head did have healing magic, they were screwed.

"So, how do we kill it?"

When they came upon the field, they hid behind a boulder near the riverbank, peering over the rock. It wasn't the best of hiding spots, but the tiger – and the goat – wouldn't see them if they woke up.

"You're asking the wrong person here." Rachel said, her gaze never leaving the chimera.

"What then? What did you two do when a wave hit?"

Rachel shook her head. "Like I told you, I hid in villages until it was over. It wasn't until I met you that I fought in one."

Naofumi shifted his gaze to Mina, hoping she had more experience.

"The same with Rachel, I hid in villages or cities. At the orphanage, we hid in the basement until it was done. And when I was with Lula's we either tried to hide or if we weren't able to, we fought."

"And did you fight a chimera?"

"No. There was only one time when a chimera attacked but I was fighting off lizardmen and the other dancers killed it."

"Hmmm…"

This was going to be a problem. His first thought was to come up with a strategy. Only to remember that this wasn't a game, no matter how many times his status magic appeared.

There was also the issue with the goat. If they so much as attempt to kill it, the goat will just heal them. Going after the goat would only enrage the tiger, and those claws could easily maw them. Or the tail could be used as a whip.

If they attacked both at the same time, it should work. Or it could completely fail and they'd be killed. All based on his stupid strategy. He could see the engraving on his tombstone.

_Here lies Naofumi Iwatani. He was an idiot._

"Alright," he sat down on the ground. "We need to attack quickly so the goat doesn't have enough time to heal. Any ideas?"

The women looked deep in thought. Mina then spoke.

"There is one trick I know. A lot of the dancers who specialize in illusion magic use it."

This was good news.

"What is it?" Naofumi leaned forward.

"We create clones of ourselves. They can fight but if they're hit, they disappear."

"Perfect. Rachel," his gaze fell on her, "can you poison them both?"

"I can try. Though I'm not sure if the goat can heal status ailments. But it's worth a shot."

"Good." He stood. "Let's get this over with."

He peered over the rock again. The chimera hadn't moved an inch from its spot. This was their only chance for a sneak attack.

"Go for it, Mina."

Mina took out her fan and waved it quickly.

A blue mist formed around the chimera. It opened its eyes just a column of ice launched it into the air.

"Let's go!"

They dashed from the boulder; weapons ready.

The chimera landed hard on the ground but quickly got up. The tiger let out a roar that shook them all to the bone. The goat didn't make any noise, but it did see them. The tiger turned its gaze to them.

It pounced on them faster than they could dodge. They jumped out of the way, barely avoided the claws.

With the three of them surrounding it, the chimera stood its ground. The goat moved its head side to side and a green aura surrounded them.

Naofumi saw the HP of the chimera go up. Not by a lot but if the goat continued to heal themselves, they were in for a lot of trouble.

The chimera turned its focus onto Rachel as she was the closest.

Rachel gripped her ax tightly, getting ready to dodge. If she could, that is.

A dagger flew and pierced the skin of the goat. The goat cried out in a blood-curdling sound. Naofumi couldn't help but shudder.

The tiger turned and pinned its gaze onto Mina. The dancer smiled and began to dance all while never tearing her gaze from the tiger.

"Come get me," she taunted.

The chimera lunged for her. Only for Mina to disappear in a puff of smoke, making the chimera trip on its feet.

"Naughty kitty."

The chimera stood, turning to the sound of Mina's voice. She stood on the edge of the riverbank. So did another Mina. And another.

The three Minas paid no mind to the chimera as they danced. They laughed as the spun and jumped, moving around the chimera in a circle.

"Over here."

"No, right here!"

"Come hither."

In its confusion, the goat, still in pain, shook its head.

"Not so fast."

A dark green glow covered them. The goat coughed, its head lolling to the side.

From her spot, Rachel smirked as the sigil she drew shattered.

"Score one for me."

With the chimera being distracted by the dancing Minas, Rachel came up from behind and jumped. She let out a battle cry as she chopped the goat head off.

Blood gushed from the open wound. The tiger cried, staggering back on shaking legs.

"All your, Naofumi!" Rachel shouted.

Naofumi moved into position. The tiger had yet to see him sneaking from the side.

He changed his shield to the Two-Headed Black Dog Shield. The dogs' eyes glowed red, saliva dripping from their mouths.

"Get him, boys."

The dogs extended their necks and bit down on the tiger. One head on the neck and the other on the back.

The tiger buckled under the weight of them. It tried to push itself back up, but the dogs didn't relent from their attack.

The dog biting the neck dug deeper until it hit an artery. Blood poured from the wound. The tiger whined and collapsed.

It shuddered tiny breaths before it stopped moving entirely.

The vibrant green grass was now coated in the dark blood of the beast. The goat head stared blankly at the sky. So did the tiger.

All was quiet except for the sound of the river.

"We did it." Naofumi put his hands on his knees and sighed. "We actually did it."

"Well duh," Rachel said. "It wasn't even a big chimera."

"Wait," his head shot up. "That was a _small_ one?"

The tiger was about the size of a regular tiger from back home, the same with the goat's head.

"Welcome to Melromarc," Mina said. Two of her clones faded away, leaving the real Mina.

With the threat gone, they went to the patch of goba berries and stuffed as many as they could in Rachel's satchel.

"Alright," Rachel hefted her bag onto her shoulder, wincing slightly from the weight. "That should be enough. Let's go."

When they passed the chimera, Naofumi stopped.

"Hang on a sec. Let me do something first."

He kneeled down next to the corpse, grimacing as he saw the tendrils of flesh and meat from where the goat head should've been. Next to the body was flesh torn from the bite of the dogs.

Picking it up, Naofumi let his shield absorb the flesh. The skill tree popped up and only one new skill was added.

**Tigris Capra Shield.**

**Prevents the user from being confused.**

Hmm. Not bad.

He stood and caught up with Rachel and Mina.

As they walked, Naofumi looked back at the corpse.

It should not have existed. Not here, not in his world. Not anywhere. And it came from a Wave. His gaze turned to the blue sky.

Just what is beyond the tears in the sky?

* * *

The mayor actually shed tears of joy when he saw the goba berries.

"Thank you!" He launched himself at Rachel and Naofumi, pulling them into a big hug.

They both grunted, surprised by the mayor's sudden strength.

"D-don't mention it." Rachel patted his back awkwardly.

When the mayor released them, she grabbed Naofumi and Mina by their hands and led them to a corner of the room.

"Alrighty," she reached into her satchel and pulled out her tools. "It's gonna take a while to make the medicine. Luckily there's three of us so we'll be done faster. Here." She handed them each a bowl and gloves. "We'll have to squeeze the goba berries until juice comes out. Then we'll mix them with some water and ginger. And there you go, instant medicine for Frost Sickness."

She sat down on the floor and began squeezing the berries with her gloved hands.

Naofumi and Mina put their gloves on and followed Rachel's steps.

"Guess your blending ability is going to come in handy, eh?" Rachel already had a vial ready, setting aside as she got to work on another one.

For his part, Naofumi mixing the medicine just as fast as Rachel. When he was done with his first vial, it glowed blue, the same color as the berries.

"That's… weird."

"What is?" Mina's gaze fell on the glowing vial. "That is strange. Was it from your shield?"

"Guess so. This blending ability makes the medicine stronger; I think."

"Which means it'll be more potent," Rachel said. "Then let's hurry."

An hour passed by and they made just enough vials for everyone. One by one, they each gave medicine to the patients.

Naofumi's concoction had an even weirder effect on the people. A man he gave the medicine to glowed blue and his blotches and cough immediately went away, just as the blue glow did as well.

He turned the vial around in his hand. Barely a drop was left in it. This single drop could easily cure someone. Or rather, _he _could cure someone.

Across the room, Rachel and Mina continued to administer the medicine. Theirs didn't have the same effect as his did, but Rachel said the medicine will work. Guaranteed.

In a way, he did feel somewhat guilty that Rachel put in extra hard work only to have him cure someone in seconds. Then again, if she wasn't with him, he wouldn't be able to know how to make tonics and salves the way you're supposed to.

Soon, they were done and everyone (or at least Naofumi's portion) was feeling better. The spasms stopped as did the coughing.

"We did it." Rachel clamped a hand on Naofumi's and Mina's shoulder. "We defeated a chimera and cured a village. That should give us some good word to other villages."

"Positive feedback is the best feedback, after all," Mina said.

"But will it?" Naofumi interjected.

"What do you mean?"

He looked to the side. The mayor and the citizens thanked him from the bottom of their hearts. Already, he had Lute Village and Westbrook on his side. But was only a tiny fraction compared to Castle Town, other cities, even the country itself.

"Just that… there are still others who will see me and think I'm nothing but a criminal or a rapist." Just saying that word made him grimaced.

"Fuck them," Rachel huffed. "We'll show them a thing or two. Just have more faith and stop being a broody babyface guy."

He shot her a glare he could only imagine looked frightening.

She chuckled and patted his cheeks. "See? Even when you're angry, you still have that cute babyface."

Sighing in defeat, he let her compliment(?) wash over him.

"She's right, you know." Mina reached over and patted him on the arm. "We knew what we were getting ourselves into. Besides, I still need to find my parents and I know traveling with you will help me reach my goal. So, cheer up."

Their words were comforting. The wall he built around his heart started to crack. But it still remained up.

"Shield Hero." The mayor had approached them. "I can thank you and your friends enough for helping my village." He bowed. "I am in your debt."

This was something he still hadn't gotten used to. People owing him.

"We just cured them, that's all. It would've gone away eventually."

The mayor shook his head. "Be that as it may, you three still helped. For that, I owe you. How about a feast in celebration of you three?"

Naofumi didn't even get the chance to reject the offer. The mayor continued on. "Yes! A feast where everyone is invited! I must get everything prepared." He dashed off.

The three of them just looked at him in silence.

"Well," Rachel broke the silence. "We get free food and booze!"

* * *

With the moon watching over them like a mother, Naofumi laid on the bed with his hands behind his head. The feast had just died down and it was after midnight when they checked into the inn the mayor had directed them too.

Free of charge, of course, for curing the village. It was a cozy inn with wooden floors and walls, almost like a cabin. There was even a fireplace in the room. Rachel lit a fire with her magic, enveloping the room in a warm embrace. Had it been winter, this would've been the perfect place to stay in.

Rachel and Mina were sitting across the fire, warming their hands. It may be the end of Spring, but it got cold at night. If Naofumi had to guess, the temperature was probably in the high 40s.

In Japan, when it got this cold, he would bring out his electric blanket and turned it on to just the right amount of temperature to warm him.

He may not have it now, but the fireplace would suffice for now.

"I don't think I can move for the next few days." Rachel rubbed her hands together then extending them out to the fire. "I haven't eaten so much food like that in a long time."

"It was quite the party," Mina said. "Small as Westbrook may be, it becomes lively when the townsfolk come together. Such a lovely sight."

"Tell me about it. All that food, the booze, and your dancing made it a fun night, that's for sure."

"You flatter me. It was only a simple routine I know."

As the women talked, Naofumi recalled the events of the feast.

When night fell upon the village, everyone (those who weren't sick) gathered around the center of the village and the feast began. Tables were being drawn out, a bonfire was lit, food and drinks were being passed around. Everyone was having the time of their life.

Rachel was with a rowdy group, drinking booze and eating bison meat.

Some of the villagers brought with them instruments and Mina danced along to the song they were playing. She even brought in a few of the villagers to dance with her. Some were a little clumsy dancing but didn't care.

Naofumi, meanwhile, sat at a table slightly near the bonfire. Not that it mattered where he sat. His shield was a dead giveaway. Villagers came up to him and thanked him for his help. Some gave him food, some gave him booze, it was all too much for him.

But he didn't mind. The feast here was lively, joyful, and carefree. The feat back in Castle Town was too stiff, too haughty with nobles. Their judgmental eyes never leaving his sight.

Parties weren't a favorite pastime of his – here or back in Japan – but this feast was fun.

During the feast, a man challenged Mina to a jig and laughed when the man nearly fell a few times. Mina won, of course. The man wasn't even mad he lost. He grabbed a mug and raised it high, toasting to the best dancer he has ever seen. Mina grabbed a mug and they clanked them together.

Maybe he should've joined instead of sitting and eating. He did deserve some fun every now and then.

"You OK there, Naofumi?"

He pushed himself up and noticed the women looking at him.

"I'm good," he replied. "Why?"

"You've been quiet for a bit, we thought you fell asleep," Rachel said.

"Did we wake you up?" Mina asked, concerned.

Naofumi waved a hand dismissively. "Nah. Just relaxing, that's all. I'm not that tired, anyways."

Getting up from the bed, he joined them by the fireplace. "Might as well warm myself up. It's getting cold." He held his hands out to the fire.

"No kidding." Rachel summoned a small fireball in her hand. "I love being cozy under blankets during the winter, but I don't like freezing either."

She was dressed somewhat appropriately for the spring and summer. Throw on her a thicker shawl and she'll be warm.

Mina, on the other hand…

"Don't you get cold just wearing… that?" Naofumi felt his cheeks get hot. He prayed Mina would think it was from the warmth of the fire.

Mina brought a hand to her lips and laughed slightly.

"Do not be afraid to ask such a question, Naofumi. Yes, I dress like this all the time, but I do have warmer clothes in my bag. I just like wearing my dancing outfit. And the blankets here are warm enough."

Satisfied with her answer, he turned his gaze back to the fire.

"What a day."

"You can say that again," Rachel said. "I still can't get my mind off of what happened to Westbrook."

"You mean the Frost Sickness?"

"Yeah." She stood and retrieved her medical journal. "Frost Sickness shouldn't even be present at all in spring."

Naofumi may not know a lot about medicine, but he does know that if a disease that was once harmless was suddenly rampant and worse, it meant one thing.

"Did the disease mutate?" He threw the question out in the open.

Rachel shook her head. "No. Frost Sickness has been around for hundreds of years and not once did it mutate. The scientists in Silvershore and Innis can confirm that, and they're good at that kind of research."

Silvershore. Innis. He'll ask later where those two places are.

"I don't see any reason why Westbrook was affected by it." Rachel opened her journal and flipped through the pages.

Naofumi and Mina leaned closer to look at the pages. He didn't understand the language, so he looked at the pictures instead.

The diagram of the human body.

A bush with red berries.

The diagram of a demi-human.

The roots of a tree.

A colorful dragon.

Mushroo-

Wait.

Dragon?

"Hey, what was that?" He reached and halted Rachel's page flipping with his hand.

"What was what?"

"That picture of the dragon."

Rachel flipped back a few pages until the picture of the dragon appeared.

"That. What kind of dragon is that?"

The drawing was very detailed, even to someone like him who knew nothing about art. The dragon was a typical dragon he had seen before in fantasy books and games. Winged, four legs, and scales.

This one, in particular, was different based on the colors of the scales. From the tail to the head, colors ranging from purples to blues to greens to even specs of orange. The wings were green and spotted like the feathertail of a peacock.

There were measurements of the dragon but he couldn't figure out the numbers. Thankfully, there was a drawing of fifteen men stacked on top of each other until it reached the dragon's head. The size of fifteen fully grown men. He hoped he wouldn't have to fight a dragon like that. Or any dragon, period.

Rachel ran a finger over the drawing as if she could feel the scales. "It's the Peacock Dragon. Every medical journal has information on it."

"Why?"

"The Peacock Dragon is known throughout the world as being the cure to all diseases."

This piqued his interest more.

"If you get some of its scales and mix them to make a tonic or a salve," Rachel continued, "it can cure a person of any disease. Even the ones that aren't curable with traditional medicine."

"So, its scales are magical?"

Then that would make it a rare creature to find. He wouldn't be surprised if it was an endangered species.

"Yes," Rachel responded. "Many apothecaries and adventurers would go through the ends of the earth to get his scales."

"His?"

"There's only one Peacock Dragon." She tapped the drawing. "And it's this one."

Correction. It was a creature near extinction.

"Can either of you tell me the story behind this dragon? I'm still confused." More questions than answers, that was his life at the moment.

"Well it's a good thing there's a fire lit. It'll be like telling a campfire story." Rachel shifted until she was facing Naofumi and Mina.

"So, the Peacock Dragon is a dragon, as you can tell, whose scale has medicinal properties. It is said that it appeared more than a thousand years ago when there was a plague sweeping across the continent.

"One day, an apothecary was traveling through a forest which is now known as the Forest of Sanctum, and in a massive clearing, he spotted the Peacock Dragon. He asked the dragon if there was anything he could use in the forest for medicine. Then, the dragon scratched off some of its scales and gave it to the man. He said to mix it with his usual tonics and salves and it would cure the individual."

"He just gives them away?" Naofumi asked. If it was nice enough to give the man his scales, then it probably won't be much of a threat.

"At first, yes," Rachel went on. "When the apothecary returned to his village and mixed the scales with his usual method of making medicine and gave it to people affected by the plague, they were instantly cured. Before this, the plague in question was a death sentence. Once you have it, there's nothing you can do about it other than wait and die.

"The apothecary told people that he made his medicine from the scales of a dragon who 'was like a peacock.' Not long after, many apothecaries traveled to the Forest of Sanctum and got scales. Everything was fine for a while. The plague was dying down and more people were getting cured. Then… things got complicated."

"How so?" Mina asked.

"Well, people started to get greedy. When word of the Peacock Dragon began to spread throughout the countries, everyone wanted his scales. His scales grow back instantly when he scratches them off, so he's like a well of infinite scales. More and more people showed and some weren't even apothecaries, they just wanted his scales. Among them were bandits and those affiliated with the black market.

"The Peacock Dragon then did something different. He will give his scales if you beat him in battle. Win, and you get some scales. Lose, you get nothing. Unless your intentions are of out of the goodness of your heart and you still lost, he'll give you scales, regardless. And that's how it's been ever since."

"Then, he's still alive?" Naofumi inquired.

"He still is. At this point, he's immortal. The times he was defeated in battle, his scars and wounds would heal by themselves. Not even the strongest of swordsmen or mages can kill it. And he only shows up when there is some type of sickness or plague spreading across the continent."

Rachel looked out to the single window in their room. "What happened here in Westbrook is making me think about the dragon. It's always been a dream of mine to find him and get some of his scales. Though the last time he was seen was sixty years ago. I doubt I'll see him by the time I'm old and wrinkly."

There was a far off look in her eyes like she was seeing beyond the window and mountains and trees to where the Peacock Dragon lay in wait.

"Does this mean you only joined my party was because you wanted to see the dragon?" Naofumi should've felt offended by this. Oddly, he didn't.

She nodded. "I won't lie, part of me joining was because of that. The other was because you saved my life. And I'll earn double from what I earn if I travel with you."

There was the Rachel he kind of knew.

"It's the same with Mina." Rachel canted her head in the dancer's direction. "She knows traveling with you will get her access to more villages in hopes of finding her parents. And she did want to look after you."

He remembered the sincerity in Mina's eyes.

They did have reasons for traveling with him. But they weren't full of ill intent. He wouldn't have let them join if they were going to stab him in the back.

It was hard to explain, but somehow, he knew they could be trusted. For one, Rachel saved him from getting kidnapped by bandits. And Mina stepped in when the odds were against him fighting Motoyasu.

And the way they took down the chimera showed their teamwork.

Maybe this world wasn't so lonely.

"Thanks."

The women smiled. Those smiles were true smiles, not like Malty's fake smile.

Rachel got up and put back the journal in her satchel. As she closed it, a thought came to mind.

"Hey." Her two companions looked at her. "You don't suppose this Frost Sickness could mean the Peacock Dragon is coming back?"

The thought was silly. She knew that Frost Sickness was nowhere near as lethal as a plague or some unknown disease. But…

She shook her head. "Nevermind. It's nothing."

Naofumi looked at her for a bit but nodded. "Fine. Anyway, let's get some sleep. We're stopping by Lute Village tomorrow so let's wake up early."

All three of them turned in for the night.

Rachel's question didn't leave any of their minds.

* * *

_Meanwhile, in the woods_

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise. The ink black sky bled into a dark orange. With each passing minute, the orange hue grew bright.

In a small clearing in a forest, a deer bent down to a bush and ate perfectly ripe berries. It had awoken earlier from its slumber, hungry. It wandered slightly far but not too far from its home underneath some shrubs that sheltered it from the weather and predators.

It hadn't heard anything other than the dying chirps of grasshoppers and the few birds who tweeted their good mornings to each other.

It was safe. Safe to wander and eat. The few predators were mainly wolves and bears. But the deer knew the wolves hunted farther than where it was. And bears usually miss the deer if it hid behind a bush.

All was peaceful. Perfect for a morning snack.

It reached to bite down on a berry when it slipped from its tongue and fell to the dirt. The deer bent lower and ate the berry. It was about to crane its neck back up when it noticed a pair of eyes watching from the ground.

No. Not a pair of two eyes.

Eight eyes.

A spider no larger than a puppy simply stood there, not moving despite the deer being larger than it.

The deer stared back, not sure if the spider was a predator.

Rustling from behind startled the deer, but it didn't jump away instinctively. It looked back and through some shrubs, another spider came out. This time, it was about the size of the deer.

This time, the deer knew it was a predator.

Without hesitating, it jumped over the berry bush and ran through the dense forest. The trees and greenery blurred past as it ran and jumped. Behind, it could hear the spider crawling. It moved just as fast as a wolf or a bear.

The deer broke through a thicket of shrubs and into another clearing.

Only to see another giant spider waiting. This spider was about the size of a brown bear, its black eyes staring back.

The deer skidded to a halt, ready to pivot and run off into another direction when more large spiders appeared.

Five spiders surrounded the deer. When the deer moved slightly, so did the spiders, anticipating where it could run off to. It had nowhere to run.

Which was perfect for the hunter.

An arrow whizzed through the air. It struck the deer in the neck. The deer reared back, crying out. Another arrow pierced its side.

The deer fell to the ground. It tried to push itself back up only to have another arrow hit it in the neck.

The deer whined. Then it stopped moving completely.

The hunter, a young man, stepped through from his hiding place and approached the deer. The spiders shuffled behind him, waiting for his command.

The hunter took out the arrows, careful not to tear off chunks of the meat. With his three arrows back in his quiver, he turned his attention to the spiders.

"Thanks. You all did a good job."

He heard their voices in his head. Not actual words, but he knew they were saying "you're welcome."

The hunter leaned down to the deer and carried it over his shoulders. It wasn't a heavy deer compared to the larger ones he hunted. He went to the largest of spiders and placed the deer on its abdomen.

With the deer on the spider, the hunter reached into his pack and took out some rope. He securely tied the deer to the abdomen. The spider leaned its abdomen lower to let the hunter have enough reach.

Once the deer was tied down, he looked back to the remaining spider.

"Go back into the forest. Your work is done for now."

The spiders bowed slightly and retreated back into the dense woods.

He motioned for the large spider to follow.

They made their way back to the hunter's village. When they arrived at the entrance, a man was waiting by the post marking the village.

"Hey there, Rowan." He waved.

The hunter, Rowan, waved back. "Good morning. I brought back a deer. Hope it's good enough for your dinner."

"It's perfect!" The man walked around the spider, not even slightly scared by it. He was too busy looking at the deer. "You always bring back the best kind of deer. Hey, if I have the money, can I have you hunt a bear?"

Rowan laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Sure thing." The man untied the deer and hefted it over his back. "You know, even with Gareth on his hunt, you're enough to help bring in the game."

The mention of his master's name shook him slightly. "When he comes back, we'll have plentiful of game for everyone."

"Damn straight. Well, see ya around!" The man waved and took the deer with him.

With the man gone from sight, the corner of Rowan's lips turned into a frown.

He just had to mention Gareth, his master.

Next to him, the spider lifted one of its legs and patted him on the shoulder. It must've felt his discomfort. Lately, all of his spiders have been doing their best to ease his uneasiness.

It was enough for him to reach out and rest his hand on the leg. "Thanks." He then patted its abdomen. "Come on. Let's go home."

As they made their way to his home, Rowan looked over his shoulder at the village entrance.

Two months ago, he waved farewell to Gareth. His master had his usual toothy grin plastered on his face.

Two months of waiting and no letter. Not a single one. He didn't even say what he was hunting. Just that he was on a quest to find a fearsome beast. That was it.

Sometimes, Rowan wished he had tagged along instead of staying in the village. But the hunt Gareth was tasked with was given by the Captain of the royal knights. Only Gareth was allowed to go.

He remembered the look on his Gareth's face when he read the decree. A shadow had passed over his bright blue eyes. That shadow quickly went away and laughed, saying he'll find the beast in no time.

No time. Yeah right. He never takes this long on a hunt. The longest hunt he's ever gone on was four weeks.

Rowan shook his head.

Gareth will come back.

But when?

_Master, where are you?_

* * *

"Tell me more about this Lute Village."

Mina's question broke the silence of their surroundings. Earlier, they left Westbrook with half of the town giving their good-byes and farewells. That was a few hours ago. Now, with the sun at its zenith, Naofumi guessed it would take about an hour to get to Lute Village.

"Nothing really. Just a small village we saved."

"There has to be more than that." Mina jogged forward and turned, walking backward while facing him. "Wave monsters are strong. You not only fought the undead but saved a village from being burned to the ground. There must be more to the story."

Her curiosity complimented her alluring appearance and sultry voice. Naofumi forgot that she was older than him by four years. She had a bright gleam in her eyes like that of a kid wondering why the sky is blue.

"Not much. Sorry to disappoint."

"He's just humble, is all." Rachel threw an arm over his shoulder. "You should've seen him. He saved a mother and her child from being stung by monster wasps."

Naofumi brushed her off.

It really wasn't much. At least to him. People still died, but he saved what he could.

A part of him was looking forward to what happened since then. Lute Village didn't look like it had much in regards to resources such as wood for building houses, but he was sure they could manage.

When they reached the top of a small hill, they saw the village.

As well as knights and banners.

"What the hell?" Rachel stopped dead in her tracks.

"Are those the knights from Castle Town?" Mina squinted at the village, shading her eyes from the sun.

Even from his vantage point, Naofumi could see the emblem on the banners.

Yep.

_Oh no._


	15. Chapter 14

Naofumi could feel the headache starting to form. He pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing every god known to mankind for dropping him in this world.

They couldn't have picked someone else? _No. _They just had to pick an otaku to save the world.

But instead of saving the world, he's dealing with a village overrun by knights.

"Can we even get through them?"

Next to him, Rachel stood on her tiptoes, peering over the heads of the villagers who conglomerated at the center of Lute Village.

Ahead, knights stood with their arms to their sides. A few were holding banners with the Melromarc insignia on full display.

And there, in between the knights were Motoyasu and Malty.

Why did he have to have such bad luck? Who did he cross to deserve this?

"Just what is she up to?" Mina asked, her gaze fixed on the Spear Hero and the princess.

"Knowing them," Naofumi shifted his feet. "Nothing but trouble."

"But what kind of trouble?" Rachel huffed as she did a little jump to look beyond the throng of the crowd.

"Does it really matter?"

Of course it mattered, but this wasn't his business. He saved the village, yes, but whatever happened to it afterward was not his problem. It was theirs and whoever was in charge of this village.

"Still," Rachel sighed. "Shouldn't we at least do something? Whatever is going on, I doubt it'll be in favor of the villagers."

"Let's just see what she has to say."

Luckily, no one had noticed them. The villagers were too busy muttering to themselves.

"Attention villagers of Lute Village!" Malty's voice rang out loud enough for everyone to hear. In her hand, she held an open scroll. "The Spear Hero is here on official business on behalf of the King. In light of his heroic efforts in defeating the Chimera during the last Wave, Sir Motoyasu has been appointed ruling Lord of this region."

The villager's mutterings grew louder, confused at the strange announcement.

"The hell?" Rachel looked dumbfounded. "Lord? The guy can barely think with his dick, let alone his brain."

Mina shook her head. "Usually a village always has an idiot. I'm guessing Motoyasu is the idiot. An idiot in charge."

Naofumi's gaze fell on Motoyasu. The man looked smug; his smile was that of someone who thought he was better than anyone.

Why do most handsome guys have to be jackasses?

"To help the rebuilding efforts the Wave has caused," Malty continued. "We decided to levy a toll. This toll will be 50 silver coins to enter the village and 50 to exit."

What?

That was too much for such a small village.

"She's taking advantage of them," Mina said. Her eyes had a sharp glint to them.

"50 silvers? That's more than what I make giving my medicine." Rachel's words were harsh.

The villagers grew louder, some gasping and some looking absolutely stunned.

"But that'll ruin us!" A villager spoke out.

"We can't afford that!"

"We won't be able to buy food tomorrow!"

Naofumi felt sympathetic for them. Back home, his parents had jobs that earned them enough money to live by. And he did have a part-time job, so money issues weren't a problem in the Iwatani household.

Lute Village, however…

They looked well fed. No one was sick at the moment. And they were in the process of rebuilding, judging by the tools and extra wood scattered about.

This toll will cripple them. They'll starve. They won't be able to afford medicine. Their supplies will dwindle. They'll have nothing.

Naofumi recalled the times he watched the news about rich people scamming and swindling those below them, draining them until they had nothing. Most got away with it. Others didn't even make it on the news, their crimes going unheard.

"Always be grateful," his grandmother had told him and Akito. He was grateful for the things he had. He may not like college, but he'll get a good education and a job afterward. The money he spent on games, figurines and collectibles he got as a result of his part-time job was fulfilling.

He had an easy life. That was a lot better than what these villagers had.

And this bitch was going to ruin them.

Not if he had anything to do about it.

More of the villagers rang out their complaints. Malty glared back at them.

"Do you dare to defy your Lord's orders?" The venom in her voice was enough to silence them.

Not him, though.

"You bet we do!"

The villagers turned and Naofumi could see the hope in their eyes when they saw him. Never did he like being at the center of attention. But he'll have to live with it.

"The Shield Hero?" Malty looked disgusted just by seeing him. "What are you still doing here? This is Sir Motoyasu's domain now. You have no right to question him or a royal decree. Get out of this village at once, or suffer the wrath of the knights."

Her threat was empty. The three of them could easily take down the knights. Motoyasu and Malty, however, could be a challenge. Naofumi wasn't dumb enough to fight them. But he isn't going to back down.

"Don't worry, I'll be glad to leave so I won't have to see your ugly face. But the villagers aren't going to be happy about your toll. Motoyasu!"

The man looked back at him.

"Do you have any idea how much it costs to spend the night at the inn here?"

Motoyasu opened his mouth, ready to reply, but abruptly closed it. He scratched the side of his face. "Actually, I…" He looked like a kid who forgot the lines to a play.

Rachel held up a finger. "One silver coin a night. Food included as well."

"And if you do the math," Mina said. "You will be charging a total of one-hundred nights to enter and exit the village. That is far too much for a toll, let alone a toll for a small village such as this one."

With those words, the villagers go the courage to stand up.

"They're right!" One yelled.

"You can't do this to us!"

"You can't just show up here and call yourself a Lord."

"The Shield Hero and his apothecary friend were the ones who save the village when the Wave hit! Not the Spear Hero!"

The more they spoke, the angrier Malty looked.

"You dare complain about a royal decree from your King? Knights!"

On cue, several of the knights drew their spears, pointing them at the villagers. The brave façade the villagers had turned frightful at the sight of the weapons.

Naofumi looked to his left where Rachel was and she already gripping the handle of her ax. To his right, Mina too had her hand on the black hilt of her dagger. They were ready to attack if necessary.

He was too, but it didn't have to escalate to this. It would be a blood bath.

"I suggest you all knock it off!"

His words fell on deaf ears.

Malty raised a hand…

Just as a shadow suddenly dropped in front of her.

Her expression morphed into shock.

The shadow was a person, their cloak covering their body. Two more of them were at her side.

The one standing in front of her lifted their head, their silver mask hiding their face. The holes were the eyes were supposed to be were covered in a thin film of black material. Malty couldn't see through, but the person could.

"I trust you know who we represent? Princess Malty." The person's voice was light, feminine.

"But why have you come?" She asked.

The cloaked person held out a scroll. "For you," was all she said.

Naofuni could only watch as Malty read the scroll.

"You two have any idea who they are?" They looked like assassins. He definitely wouldn't want to get on their bad side, that's for sure.

"Nope," Rachel responded.

"I haven't the faintest clue." Mina shook her head.

Malty, who was reading the scroll, looked far from happy. She looked furious.

"How could this be?" Her hands were shaking in anger.

She closed the scroll and looked up at Naofumi.

"Shield Hero!" She pointed at him. "Fight us for the right to rule this village!"

…

"…huh?"

* * *

"Hell no!"

The words came quickly, but he meant them.

"Way to be subtle, Naofumi." Rachel was leaning back against a post, watching as the villagers gathered around them.

Beside her, Mina was reading through the scroll a knight had given to them.

"But please, sir," the village Lord had said. "If you refuse, Lute Village will fall into the Spear Hero's hands. I cannot accept further taxation. My standing as a Lord means nothing if he becomes the Lord."

This was way too much trouble. And it was barely noon.

He looked to Mina. "What does the scroll say?"

Mina cleared her throat.

"_Princess Malty_," She began. "_It has come to mine and my Shadow's attention that you plan on levying a toll on the village of Lute. My Shadows are everywhere, and they have heard of your plans long before you left for Lute Village. As you can imagine, I am none too pleased with what I have heard. But since I am away at the moment, your father's decree is absolute for the time being. Meaning I cannot stop him. However, while I have little say in this, I can offer a proposition. The Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani, is to challenge the Spear Hero, Motoyasu Kitamura, to a race. Given that the Spear Hero has a dragon and the Shield Hero has no animal to participate with, he and his companions are given a week to search for one in order to meet the demands of the challenge. Should they fail to find one in a week, or if they do find one but lose the race, the Spear Hero will become Lord of the village. Should you interfere with my proposition, my Shadows will have no choice but to evict you and the Spear Hero out of the village. These are my demands. Queen Melromarc_."

She closed the scroll and handed it to a knight who was waiting nearby.

"At least we have a week," Rachel said. "That gives us plenty of time to get some kind of animal."

"Yeah, but what kind?" He was already regretting not getting one of those eggs from the Slave Trader.

The desperate looks on the villagers added to his headache. Damn Malty and Motoyasu. He didn't even want to do this. Lute Village was not his problem.

Except… there was no way they could live with the toll tax.

And even if they did have a week, how was he supposed to train any kind of animal to race, let alone tame.

"Oh!"

The voice startled him slightly.

A man who was a few paces away from the village Lord came forward. "I think I have an idea!"

This should be good.

Naofumi crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

The man took that as a sign to continue on with whatever he was going to say. "There's this village a few hours away from here in the woods and they can get you an animal to ride on."

"Really?" He didn't want to sound too hopeful should this be a failure.

The man nodded enthusiastically, not noticing Naofumi's deadpan response. "Yes! That village is the home to the legendary hunter Gareth. My brother lives there and he sends letters telling me about Gareth."

Legendary hunter, huh?

This really was sounding too hopeful.

"So I just go there and talk to him?"

The man's smile trembled slightly. "Well… last I heard, he left to go on a hunt and hasn't been back since."

"And how long was that?"

"Two months."

Fan-_fucking_-tastic.

"But," the man continued, "his apprentice lives there and he's just as good as Gareth. And he's a beastmaster too. He'll get you an animal before the deadline. Ask for Rowan."

He really didn't want to do this. The heroes in the games and books he's read make this look easy. Actually doing it was a huge pain in the ass.

"Guess luck is on our side." Rachel pushed herself away from the post.

"It would seem so," Mina said. "We should hurry and try to salvage what little time we have to stop the princess."

Great. More walking.

"Do you at least have a map so I can get to this place?" Naofumi asked the Lord.

"Yes." He asked a woman behind him to go get a map. A minute later, she gave Naofumi the map.

This map was slightly more detailed in the landscape. Still not understanding the language, he was able to point out Lute Village. The letters underneath it were bold compared to the others.

North-east from here, there was a large section of the map covered in dark green which he presumed were the woods. Four circles indicated villages with a few houses drawn in them.

"Here is where you need to go." The Lord pointed to a village near the entrance of the woods. "It's called Haven Clove. It's about a five-hour walk from here."

Already he could feel his legs cramping.

"Thanks." He took the map and handed it to Rachel who tucked it into her satchel.

The Lord and the villagers scattered, going back to their homes.

"I'm already regretting this." Naofumi thumped his head against a post.

"Complain about it later," Rachel said. "Let's gather supplies and go on. The sooner we talk to this beastmaster, the better."

Pushing himself away from the post, Naofumi took a few steps in the direction of the village shop when a voice stopped him.

"Naofumi."

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled through his teeth.

_God, why have you forsaken me?_

Motoyasu sauntered to them with his dragon in tow.

"What is it, Motoyasu?" Mina looked none too pleased to see him.

Rachel grunted, glaring at the man.

"You're actually going through this? Just give up already, there's no way you'll beat my dragon." He patted the dragon on the head, earning a slight purr from it.

The dragon was slightly taller than Motoyasu with short arms and long legs. It looked more lizard than a dragon, but it still had that draconic look to it.

And it purred, apparently. It looked fast too, based on the legs alone which were well muscled.

As much as he wanted to counter Motoyasu's words, it would just be a waste of time and breath.

"Whatever. Let's get going, ladies."

They had a long walk ahead of them.


	16. Chapter 15

Five. Fucking. Hours.

Five hours of having to go from Lute Village all the way to the great forest. And they weren't even in the village yet! If it took five hours to get here, who knows how long it'll take just to get to the village.

Naofumi's legs were on the verge of turning to dust or collapsing. He couldn't tell. Maybe both.

The sky was a mixture of blood red and orange with pink bleeding into both. It won't be long until the moon rises.

Sweat dripped off of Naofumi's nose. His clothes clung to him like a second layer of skin. If he twisted them, no doubt he'll fill a bucket with his sweat.

"Five…minutes." Panting, he got down to his hands and knees and settled himself on the soft earth beneath him.

Rachel and Mina joined him by sitting in front of him.

"Not much of a walker, huh?" Rachel's voice was light with a hint of amusement.

"Fuck… off… you…" Naofumi couldn't finish his sentence.

"Haha. Here." She reached into her satchel and pulled out a canteen.

Uncorking it, she dumped most of it onto his face.

The water was cold enough to cool him down from all the heat he built up from walking. He must've been too hot because steam was actually coming off of him.

He didn't care if he drank it or if it was dumped on him. He just needed water.

And an hour of rest. Maybe five. Or ten. Or twenty-four.

Fuck it, an entire week just so his legs could function normally.

Their journey had been simple enough. From Lute Village they followed the map and at some point, they hitched a ride on a wagon. The merchant was kind enough to let them ride with him until he got to a small village. From there, they continued walking while taking the occasional break.

Seven days they had to find an animal. Time may be on their side at the moment, it'll dwindle down. And there was no telling if he'll even win the race on account of not knowing what animal to pick from. If this beastmaster is just as good as his teacher, then they'll be back in no time to participate in the race.

The beastmaster was just within their reach.

"We're almost there," Mina said. "The forest is known for having all kinds of monsters. It'd be best if we do not stray from the path. Even so, we better keep our eyes and ears open at all times."

From his place on the ground, Naofumi turned his head until he saw trees. Nothing but trees for miles and miles.

Before they left, he looked at the map the Lord had provided them. He knew nothing about cartography, but the forest looked larger in real life than it did on paper. He had to ask the girls to give a good estimate of how large the forest was. Rachel had only ever gone here a few times but kept close to the outer edges of the forest to get berries. And Mina said it was too dangerous for her and the other dancers to enter on account of wild monsters

They said the forest went on for miles until it ended with rocky cliffs and beaches. Beyond that was the ocean. The forest housed many villages and though at first glance they may seem isolated, they are very populous with a city housing over more than 700,000 people while the rest was mainly regular sized villages.

Naofumi was glad to have Rachel and Mina give him enough information about this place. Being a suburban and city boy, he'd never encountered a forest like this one. The closest he ever came to a forest was when he was in middle school and his class went on a field trip to the countryside to visit a farm. Beyond the farm, just on the horizon was a forest. He spent most of his time looking there instead of the animals wondering what lived in there.

Now, he was finally getting the experience.

He should be happy. Except he was fucking tired to move even a centimeter.

"Do not worry, Naofumi," Mina soothed. "The village shouldn't be far. We'll check at an inn and find this beastmaster. That gives us six days."

"And it's only a five hour walk from here back to Lute Village," Rachel added. "Plus, the village might lend us a wagon and that'll cut our travel time in half."

It all sounded good to Naofumi. But there was that small part of him that always believed something wouldn't go their way. That hadn't been the case since he met Rachel and Mina, but there was always something out there to stop him from advancing. Being hated by half of the country does that kind of thing.

Would these villagers even help him? The beastmaster?

From the way the girls talked about speaking with the beastmaster, they sounded like things would go their way. The conviction in their voices eased some of the apprehension he felt. If Elhart and the villagers of Westbrook and Lute Village were kind to him, the same thing might happen with Haven Clove.

Or they could hate him and want nothing to do with him.

It was 50/50.

Nothing about this world was easy.

After about thirty minutes of resting, he pushed himself up back to his feet.

"Alright. Let's get moving."

When they neared the entrance, a sign was posted on a tree with bright paint.

Mina translated for him. The sign said to be on the lookout for any monster lurking in the shadows. To stay on the path and not venture beyond unless you are with a full party. They stopped a chimera, what could possibly be in this forest that could attack them?

With the sun setting, they were blanketed by the shadows of the trees. What little light there was left slipped through the canopy of leaves and branches.

It was a beautiful sight to behold. Naofumi wasn't one for forest aesthetics, but there was no denying how beautiful this place was without the sound of city life. Birds chirped, cicadas sang, squirrels jumped from branch to branch. It was all… peaceful. A tree with low hanging branches came into view and he reached out and let his fingers glide along the leaves. He breathed in the scent of the forest.

What was surprising about his place what that it could very well be a forest back in his home. Melromarc and his world are vastly different. But what they had in common was the beauty of the earth and its animals.

Minus the fact this world had monsters and chimera wandering about.

A rabbit scampered across the path before disappearing underneath a bush. A bird flew by above them before settling into a nest.

For a moment, he could forget all the weight that was on his shoulder and just enjoy the serenity of the forest.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

He didn't even hear Mina as she walked by him.

"It is a beautiful sight to behold. Especially in the autumn and winter where it feels like you're in a fairy tale."

Naofumi almost laughed at those words. Technically, he _is_ in a fairy tale. A nightmarish one.

"Yeah. I've never seen anything like this before."

"That so?" Mina commented. "I'd figured you must've gone to a forest at some point in your life."

"Not really. The closest thing I came to a forest was looking at one from miles away."

"What were you doing?" Rachel asked.

The girls eyed him with curiosity, smiles on their faces.

… it wouldn't hurt to tell them about his life.

And so, he told them about his field trip to the countryside which earned him a lot of questions.

"What's a bus?"

"Did you see any monsters?"

"Is the plant life dangerous?"

"Did they have any kind of berries or tree bark I can use?"

He explained what a bus was. (To which Mina compared it to an electric carriage. He'll have to ask her about that.)

No, there are no monsters in his world. (At least not in plain sight.)

Some plants were dangerous though it wouldn't surprise him if this world had man-eating plants.

And yes, the plant life did have medicinal factors as well.

Finally, after walking for who knows how long (their travel banter seeming to make them lose track of time), they came across a fork in the road. A sign was posted between the fork.

Rachel pointed to the right and said it would take them to Haven Clove.

Thank god he had them to translate everything for him.

When they turned a corner, they saw the entrance of a village.

From the outside, it was very large. A huge section of the forest was cleared, leaving cabin and stone houses scattered throughout the village. Naofumi expected it to be small but from the looks of it, it was big enough to have so many homes.

When they entered the village, it was booming with activity. Shops were set up at the village center with merchants shouting out their wares. Children ran around playing with different kinds of toys. Just beyond the center, there was a large patch of land growing fruits and vegetables. Men and women were either gathering fruits and vegetables into their basket.

A man was herding sheep with the assistance of a border collie as they guided them to an enclosure with other farm animals.

Everyone was dressed very casually like the people in the lower parts of Castle Town instead of the fancy clothes nobles wore. Some even had bows, hunting knives, and hatchets on them. Hunters, no doubt.

"Wow." Rachel's eyes widened at the sight before her. "I never knew forest villages were so… big and… plentiful."

"Yes," Mina said looking at the people carrying baskets. "This is fascinating."

Naofumi shared their amazement.

Compared to Castle Town, Haven Clove was more open and freer for people to wander about. No bumping into each other or crowded homes and buildings clustered together.

As much as he wanted to look at the village life, he needed to rest. It had been a long day and he was tired and hungry.

"Come on. Let's ask around for the inn."

He stopped a man who pointed them in the direction of the inn which also acted as an alehouse. Once they paid for their room, they came back downstairs and went to a table in the corner of the room.

When their waiter left, Naofumi looked around to make sure no one was listening in.

"Now that we're here, how are we going to go about this?"

"Easy." Rachel leaned back on her chair. "Gareth is a legendary hunter, so his apprentice must be well known also."

"I have heard of his exploits," said Mina. "Gareth is well known around Melromarc as being a hunter who does not shy away from hunting the most fearsome of beasts. Even our neighboring countries have asked for his help to hunt monsters."

"He's that good?" Naofumi asked.

"The best there is. Melromarc and the other countries have monsters that are too powerful to stop. That's where hunters come in."

"Gareth always gets the job done," Rachel added. "Once, a few months ago, he took down a leftover Wave monster. Just him and his apprentice. The Queen paid them handsomely for bringing back its head. I've never seen him, just heard about him. But I believe the stories."

The way they spoke of him with admiration made the guy sound like he really was good at his job.

"And his apprentice?" Naofumi needed to know more about him.

Their food and drinks arrived and Mina took a sip of her ginger ale.

"He is Gareth's one and only apprentice," Mina set her mug down. "Like Gareth, he is a skilled hunter as well as a beastmaster."

"What kind of beasts does he control?"

The door to the alehouse opened, distracting Naofumi.

A young man close to his age walked in. He had messy light brown hair with a red and black feather tucked behind his right ear. He wore a black vest over a dark red long-sleeved tunic with black pants and dark brown boots with fur lining the collar of the opening and black fingerless gloves. What looked like a fur sleeveless shawl was wrapped around his shoulders. On his back was a bow with a quiver attached to one of his belt loops and a hunting knife strapped to his right leg.

Naofumi glanced at him for a second before picking up his mug-

-only to almost inhale his drink when something else followed the man.

In walked a spider. Not a small spider. A BIG spider. Big enough to be the size of an adult dog. He could see hairs on its legs as it followed the man. No one seemed startled to see it, nor did Naofumi hear any cries of help coming from outside. Nobody thought it was odd to see a big freaking spider crawling around!

He looked back to the girls and they were just as surprised. Rachel stopped mid-bite of a lamb leg while Mina stared with wide eyes.

The man went up to the bar and ordered a drink. The spider stayed at his feet.

"Y-you don' think…" Naofumi couldn't finish his sentence. Turns out, seeing a giant spider does that to a person.

"Probably Rowan," said Rachel. "Well, go on. Ask him."

"Me?!"

"You're the one who needs to talk to him. You are _the_ Shield Hero. He'll probably listen since you're a Cardinal Hero."

"Or he'll ignore me completely."

"Now now," Mina reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "This is our only chance to procure an animal with his assistance. I'm sure Rowan will help."

He didn't want to do this. Especially with a giant freaking spider just sitting there!

But, as usual, everything fell onto him.

He left the table and went up to Rowan.

The spider noticed him and rubbed its abdomen against the beastmaster's leg.

Rowan looked down at the spider before looking up at Naofumi. Up close, his face was youthful but his dark green eyes were the eyes of someone who never let their prey get away from his sight. Those eyes traveled up and down his body before they noticed the shield.

Rowan's eyes widened and he stood straight.

"Hello, Shield Hero." His voice was light but deep enough to match his face. "I-is there something you need of me?"

He acted timidly, but those eyes stayed true to their target. Beside him, the spider stood close. Naofumi could practically see his reflection on its eyes.

Creepy.

He suppressed a shudder and tried to ignore it. (He failed.)

"Your name is Rowan, correct?"

The hunter nodded.

"Good. There's something I need to ask of you."

"Anything!" Rowan nodded, a little too enthusiastically. "Are you acting on behalf of the Queen?"

Queen. Not the King.

"Kind of. Look, it'll be better if we explain it to you." Naofumi turned went back to the table. He heard Rowan (and the spider!) following him.

Rowan looked somewhat nervous when he saw Rachel and Mina, but the girls smiled which seemed to have eased some of his nervousness.

He sat opposite of them. The spider hopped up and sat (stood?) beside him.

"First off, these are my party member. Rachel and Mina."

Rowan nodded at them.

"Now that introductions are out of the way," Naofumi placed his arms on the table. "We need your help with finding an animal."

"What kind?" Rowan asked.

"One I can ride on."

When the hunter looked confused, Naofumi explained the ordeal of what was going on in Lute Village.

"I see…" Rowan rubbed his chin. "That is rather difficult considering the Spear Hero is riding a Tyrera. Those are known for their great speed and agility. It's rare to find one in Melromarc."

"You know about them?" Naofumi asked.

"I know plenty. They're native to different countries but not in Melromarc. My master and I would sometimes hunt them in Faubley if they were messing with farmers' livestock. I've seen how fast they can go. You're going to want something to match its speed."

"Is there an animal around here we can find."

"Well…" Rowan scratched the back oh his head. "There are some. But they live farther north in the forest. And I don't think that will give you enough time to get back to Lute Village. Except for Silver Moose."

Silver what?

Naofumi's baffled expression must've shown on his face because Rowan began talking again. "Silver Moose are different than regular moose. As the name implies, they have silver fur. And they are twice, if not, thrice as fast as regular moose when running. They live around here, so it'll be easy to catch one."

The grey storm cloud hanging over Naofumi began to dissipate. Maybe this wouldn't be that hard.

"You'll get us one, then?" The weighted question hung in the air between them.

"Of course. I've hunted them ever since Gareth became my master. You'll have your Silver Moose in no time." He looked out the front windows of the alehouse. "Though I suggest we start tomorrow. Silver Moose are more active around noon and from the looks of you all, you guys seem tired."

Tired was an understatement.

"We thank you, Rowan." Mina dipped her head in thanks. "We are sorry if this interrupts any of your upcoming hunts."

Rowan waved a hand. "It's no problem. I haven't been busy that much since my master…" he paused. A look of uncertainty danced in his eyes. "Since my master has left for a hunt."

Naofumi could tell there was more to the story, but it wasn't his business to ask.

"I don't know about you all," Rachel said, stretching her arms. "But I'm tired and there's a bed calling my name upstairs." She stood from the table, Mina following behind.

"Yeah, I need the rest." Naofumi followed them and looked over his shoulder at Rowan. "Meet us here tomorrow at noon."

He didn't wait for the hunter to reply. Timid as he may be, he didn't look like the type to break his promise.

He took one step on the stairs when the sound of shuffling feet came from behind.

"Shield Hero!"

Rowan.

Turning, Naofumi looked down as he was a step higher than he was.

"Yeah?"

Rowan opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked to the ground, his twiddling his fingers.

"Uhh… I umm…" He took a deep breath. "I don't believe all the things the people have said about you."

For a second, Naofumi's heart skipped a beat.

He didn't?

"I know what it feels like," he continued, "to be lonely. To be judged by others. That's why I don't think you're bad. I think you're… good."

His gaze shifted up until Naofumi got a good look at his eyes. "I was lonely too. I didn't know what to do. But my master came and I felt less lonely. I grew more confident in myself. The same can happen to you."

His words held conviction in them as if he was so sure of them like they could become reality. The power of words has no meaning in a world that deemed Naofumi a monster.

Why should he believe him? Very few people even believe in him unless he helped them out. That was the sad reality of it. The world hates him, he does something to help them, then they love him as if their animosity was a thing of the past.

Except it wasn't. It never will be. It shouldn't have to be like that. He doesn't expect people to love him automatically, but they shouldn't hate him either at first glance.

But this hunter, this hunter with his green eyes saw the good in him.

He turned and went back up the stairs.

Tomorrow he'll talk to him. Just not now.

* * *

When Rowan stepped out of the alehouse, he released a breath of relief.

G_ods, I can't believe I spoke with a Cardinal Hero! And it went well! …kind of. _

When the Shield Hero – Naofumi – had spoken with him, he almost spat out his drink from the sudden realization he was the Shield Hero.

He wasn't what Rowan thought he would be. The rumors of what he did to the princess ran rampant throughout the country like a plague. With Gareth gone, Rowan had to hear about this when he was away from Haven Clove on a hunt.

The village he was staying during his hunt was near the capital and news of the Shield Hero's crime arrived like a sudden wind storm.

Rowan heard every word tossed and thrown about the hero. Scum. A leech. Rotten. Criminal. Monster.

Rowan has hunted monsters, and the Shield Hero was not one.

The day he was to depart from the village after hunting down the monster who was eating crops, the Lord of the village jokingly said, "Why not hunt the Shield Hero while you're at it?" He and the villagers laughed at the Lord's joke.

All except Rowan. The Lord stopped laughing when he caught the hunter's gaze. Hard like steel and fierce as a wolf. It made the lord shrink away from his intense gaze. Rowan politely thanked him and left with 30 silver coins.

That was a few days ago. Now, he finally got a good look at the supposed monster.

He was far from a monster. He was… lonely.

_Don't I know that feeling, huh?_

The spider next to him tapped the ground with one of her legs.

"Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to air out my dirty laundry." Rowan reached down and petted the spider's abdomen.

"Let's go home. We have a big day tomorrow."

When they got to his cabin, Rowan didn't go to the front door. Instead, he went straight for the mailbox. The flag was on display. He got mail.

He took the contents out of the box and entered his home.

His hand holding the letters was trembling.

_Please please please please please please._

He sat down on a chair and went through the letters.

_Please please please please please please._

There were three of them.

The first was from the village lord who thanked him for saving the crops.

The second was a letter from Castle Town of beasts roaming the northlands and that any hunter should be careful should they hunt them down.

Finally, the third letter.

_Please please please please please please._

With his trembling hands, he opened the envelope.

His world crumbled, the floor swallowing him whole.

It was an advertisement for new bows and arrows.

The letter dropped him his hand, fluttering to the ground.

No letter from Gareth. Absolutely nothing.

Rowan dumped the rest of the letters on a coffee table and rubbed his forehead.

None of this made sense! Why hadn't Gareth sent him any letter? The times when he alone was called out on hunts and Rowan stayed behind, he always made sure to send a letter detailing how he was and when he'll probably be back.

Not once in their fifteen years of knowing each other did Gareth fail to send a letter.

This only made Rowan all the more worried.

To him, Gareth was never one to go back on his promises. He'd always send a letter should he be gone for more than a week. Not once did he fail to meet that task.

Until now.

_**Tap-tap-tap.**_

Rowan took his hand away and saw three of his spiders looking up at him. Two of them were common house spiders while the third one was a jumping spider.

They had heard his thoughts. It was hard to keep his thoughts and emotions away from his spiders. They knew everything about him just as he knew about them. During his training on mastering his beastmaster skills, Gareth said to always leave your mind open for your animal to hear you. Kind of like leaving your front door halfway open to invite them in.

It was difficult, at first, but he got the hang of it. Now, whenever he was feeling down (which was what he's been feeling the last two months), his spiders were always there, ready to comfort him.

The jumping spider hopped onto his lap. Smiling, Rowan patted him on his head.

"Thanks. I needed that."

From around the house, to the small crevices, could hear the other spiders living in his house reaching out to him telepathically.

He really was lucky to have them.

Outside, night had already settled in.

Time for dinner.

Settling the jumping spider back onto the ground, Rowan made his way to the freezer box in the kitchen. The box in question was wooden with the left side covered in a soft light blue mist while the right was covered in a darker blue mist.

_Thank you, Innis, for your magic._

Opening the left door, he pulled out some rabbit meat along with a few vegetables. He put some logs into the wood stove and while he waited for it to warm up, Rowan went to a closet in the living room.

Upon opening it, he stepped back as a large animal (a moose) was wrapped in several layers of spider silk. This was from yesterday and the moose was still slightly fresh. Thank goodness the silk traps in the odor.

Next came the birds. Freshly caught this morning, he skinned them and laid them out on the floor next to the moose

Several minutes later, the rabbit meat and vegetables were well cooked and ready to eat.

"Dinner time!"

As he took a seat on the dining table, spiders crawled out different parts of the house and descended on the moose. Followed by tarantulas going straight for the birds.

"Enjoy!" Rowan called out to them.

After dinner (and disposing the leftovers of the moose), he went upstairs to his bedroom.

Once he was changed into soft pajamas and in bed, Rowan turned off the oil lamp on the nightstand and settled comfortably under the sheets.

Tomorrow would be a busy day.

A day of helping the Shield Hero.

A day of hunting.

A day without his master.

A day of not knowing where he is.

Despite this thought, Rowan slept peacefully.


	17. Chapter 16

**Hey all! Sorry for the long wait. This chapter took a lot of time to write and I'm glad I got to finish it!**

**Thanks for all the comments and likes you guys have been leaving!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The sound of footsteps woke Naofumi.

Blinking, he saw sunlight spilling through the slats of the window. He put a hand over his eyes to block out the light.

He tried to move, only to flinch when a tingling sensation ran up from his legs to his spine. It hurt to move them. It was the same sensation when one of his legs would fall asleep. Except worse.

All that walking would tire anyone. Well, anyone who never bothered to try and exercise.

As carefully as he could, he pushed himself up from the bed, wincing when his legs moved so much an inch.

He didn't have to look far to see where the footsteps were coming from. Their room at the inn was big enough for three beds and a large table in the corner. There was enough space to move around. Which was what Mina was doing.

Barefooted, she spun and dipped and jutted her hips, moving to an imaginary beat. Naofumi watched with awe. He'd never been one for dancing, let alone watching it. But something about Mina's graceful steps enthralled him. It wasn't because her outfit was revealing. It actually emphasized her movements. Each wave of an arm was like water flowing through a curved line. Each jut of her hips and stomach was fast, rough, yet graceful.

Mina raised her arms, causing her bangles to clatter. Her knees slightly bent to the side; she moved her arms down until they reached her hips. Then, like a panther, she spun quickly on her toes. She stopped and planted a foot on the ground.

"Good morning, Naofumi."

Her soft voice startled him. She wasn't even looking at him!

"Morning." He stretched his arms, yawning in the process. "How'd you know I was awake?"

"A dancer must keep their eyes and ears open at all times when performing," Mina said, starting a new dance routine. "That, and I could see your reflection in the mirror."

He looked around and on a mantle near the door, a mirror was sitting there with his reflection.

Shrugging off the sheets, Naofumi tried once again to move his legs but stopped. Each movement was like tiny spears jabbing at them. Giving up, he settled back into bed.

"Are you having trouble with your legs?" Mina wasn't looking at him, but she could probably hear him and his efforts to move.

"They hurt like hell." As if on cue, his legs ached, causing him to flinch again.

"Walking for a long period of time will do that to you. Rachel should be back soon. Maybe she can alleviate your pain."

Now that she mentioned it, Rachel was nowhere in sight. Her belongings were gone and her bed was made.

Mina didn't have to look at him to see he was confused. "Rachel left earlier to sell some of her medicine. She wants to make as much money before we leave back to Lute Village. I must say, I commend her for her practicality."

"How long has she been gone?"

"A little over an hour. We woke up earlier and decided to let you rest." Mina was now performing what looked like a ballet routine. "Compared to us, you still have yet to build any endurance and stamina. We'd thought it be better if you rest before we meet with Rowan."

His gaze going back to the window, the morning sky was light grey with clouds. They didn't look like rain clouds. It was facing the front of the inn and he could see the villagers moving around.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Almost ten-thirty. The inn has a clock that was made in Innis and it's accurate. Rachel said she'll be back around that time."

Since there wasn't a clock in their room, Naofumi leaned back against the headboard and continued watching Mina dance.

"Do you do this every morning?" Naofumi asked.

"Yes," Mina said.

"Even though you're not with Lula's anymore?"

Mina chuckled. "Yes, even so. We were taught to practice dancing every morning without fail. If you skip out, your movements start to wane and you have to start from the very beginning. You could say this is a force of habit. Not that I mind."

Naofumi felt a ping of jealousy for a moment. Mina had a hobby which turned into a job she loved. The same goes for Rachel. He didn't mind being an otaku, but if only he could turn that into a job.

"You don't mind leaving Lula's? I thought you'd be pretty sad to leave."

_Sad to leave a steady job and be with a sad sack like me._

"Don't worry, Naofumi." Mina declared. "I told you I didn't mind leaving. Traveling with you will give me more opportunities to search for my parents. And, maybe find some information on the Black Foxes."

"What about them?" To him, the Black Foxes didn't sound threatening when their name was said. Not to everyone in Melromarc, though.

"The Black Foxes hasn't attacked in a while." Mina started another dance. "Their last known hit was on a nobleman in a city near the border of Faubley. That was ten months ago. I'd figured if by traveling with you, I can get more information in each town we visit."

"But isn't that dangerous?" Naofumi asked. "How do you plan on doing that anyway?"

"I'm glad you asked," Mina replied. "Earlier, I spoke with the man who owns the alehouse here at the inn, and gladly offered my services of dancing for the customers. They sometimes have people play instruments and not only will I make money, but I can go around and listen to what people are saying.

"And," her tone was teasing. "Alehouses have alcohol. And with alcohol, there are loose lips. And with loose lips comes information." She ended with a wink before going back to her routine.

The door then opened.

"I'm back!" Rachel hollered. "Morning, Naofumi. Your legs OK?" She went to her bed and set down her satchel on it.

"Just peachy." To emphasize his lack of comfort, he tried to move his left leg only grip the sheets tight when a shot of pain ran from his leg to his spine.

"You really should work on that stamina of yours." Rachel came around and kneeled down next to him. "This should help."

She let her hands rest on both of his legs. Murmuring something Naofumi couldn't hear, her hands began to glow green. A sudden warmth spread from his legs to all of his body, to even the ends of his fingers. It was a pleasant kind of healing, one that expelled the pain and soreness of his muscles and made them more relaxed.

When Rachel removed her hands, Naofumi could no longer feel any pain. He moved his toes and no pain erupted. He went to swing his legs out of the bed and there were no complications.

"Holy shit," he exclaimed. "What did you do?"

"Just something I learned when studying to be an apothecary." She went back to her bed and began to examine the inside of her satchel. "Since I already have an affinity for healing, this stuff comes easier and is stronger too."

"How did you fare with selling your medicine?" Mina stopped her dancing and sat on her bed.

"Perfectly!" Rachel took out a coin pouch. "Made lots of copper and silver coins. This, along with my previous amount, should last us for months. Assuming we get the silver moose and leave as soon as possible."

Naofumi fell back on the bed. That's right. The soreness of his legs made him forget about the hunt.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. They had six days to get a silver moose and go back. Should they succeed in their hunt, they can leave tomorrow, beat Motoyasu, and leave Lute Village.

It was strange. Strange that he felt the need to protect Lute from Malty's useless toll and Motoyasu's need to one-up him. By all means, he should've just left them to handle it on their own. But seeing Malty's smug look made him think otherwise.

"What time did you say it was again?" He pushed himself up and swung his legs over the edge, reaching for his boots.

Mina looked at the clock. "It is now 10:42. We can have brunch and wait for Rowan."

"You had me at brunch," Rachel said. "All I had to eat was an apple and a banana before I left. I could go for some meat." She patted her slim stomach.

Brunch did sound good. Rachel may have healed his legs, but she couldn't stave off starvation.

When he finished putting on the rest of his armor, they went downstairs and ordered their meals.

"So," Rachel drawled out as they took their seats. "You guys excited about the hunt?"

"Hardly." Naofumi's blunt truth may have sounded rude, but that was how he felt. "I just hope Rowan can get us a silver moose quickly."

"We have until noon before he arrives," Mina said. "Since he was born here and hunted with Gareth, I trust in his expertise in hunting."

"Think this'll be easy?"

"Yes. It is better to have a hunter than someone else who isn't. We need someone who knows how to hunt and track."

The closest Naofumi has ever been to hunting was in video games. No surprise there. Some of the games he played that allows them to pick a class has hunter as a choice. It only gave the character stat boosts.

This was going to be a new experience for him. What he wasn't looking forward too was the wait. He may not be a hunter, but what little he knew, sometimes hunters had to wait hours before they find their target. There was no guaranteed Rowan could capture a silver moose today.

Then there was Rowan himself.

Before Malty's betrayal, Naofumi was never a good judge of character. He was proved wrong with Rachel and Mina as they surprised him.

With Rowan, Naofumi could see that he was shy, if not timid. The way he presented himself when he saw the shield was that of someone who tried to act like it was nothing but was trying too hard to not stare. Like he was a cat ready to run away if he was spooked.

But there was something about him that contradicted his shyness. The way he spoke to Naofumi about understanding being lonely. Judged. He said those things to him like it was nothing. There was truth to his words. His courage to say them must've taken a lot of guts. Or he's much braver than he looks.

That bravery better help them.

Their meals came and by the time Mina had finished her beans, the alehouse door opened and Rowan came in.

He looked around before spotting them and waved. Naofumi didn't return the wave. A sharp kick to his shin from Rachel made him hiss in pain. He raised a hand and waved slightly.

If Rowan saw the altercation, he didn't say anything.

"So…" He stood there fidgeting his fingers together. "I know I'm early. I just wanted to wait here for a bit before we left. But since you're all here, guess I don't have to wait, then. Hehe." He laughed nervously.

"A hunter always hunts early, I presume," Mina observed, her voice calm. "We just finished eating and are ready when you are."

"Great!" Rowan said, his posture straightening. "If you guys are ready, we can leave now."

Naofumi couldn't help but notice the glimmer in the boy's eyes. It was like someone waved a bag of gold coins in front of him.

Do hunts make him excited?

He didn't have time to think about it as the left the alehouse and made their way to the village entrance.

"OK," Rowan turned to them. "There's a river not far from here that cuts the forest in half. Water lilies grow there and they are part of a silver moose's diet. It's almost noon, so there should be at least a few in the area."

"And you're sure you can get us one?" Naofumi didn't want to doubt his abilities. After all, from the way Rachel and Mina described Gareth, Rowan must be an expert if he was Gareth's apprentice.

But looks aren't everything. And seeing is believing.

Rowan nodded a bit enthusiastically. "Of course. I've hunted all kinds of animals and monsters. Getting a silver moose for you guys will be easy. In fact, I think you can leave tomorrow once I use a taming spell on it."

Taming spell?

That was new.

Rowan ushered them out of the village and when they arrived at the fork from yesterday, he led them down the other path.

The map he had in his knapsack paled in comparison to how large this patch of land was. Naofumi wasn't good at math, so he could not estimate how many acres this place was. This region covered a large section of Melromarc. There was no telling how large the other regions are, let alone other countries.

Naofumi was glad Rowan was with them. He barely knew the kid, but it was better to have someone like him who knows this place like the back of his hand.

"Here's where we need to go," Rowan said, halting them with a hand. He pointed to a dirt path that went off the central path. It was smaller but looked feasible.

The walk was slightly aggravating, having to move branches out of the way and insects buzzing around them.

"Look!" Rachel stopped and pointed at an elk who was eating leaves from a low branch. "Isn't it cute!"

The elk in question had horns that could very well pierce through skin. Naofumi made a mental note not to piss off the animals here. Shield Hero or not, he'd doubt his shield could protect him from the wrath of the forest animals.

"He is majestic, isn't he?" Rowan observed. "Lived here my whole life and I never get tired of seeing the animal life here." His gaze went to Naofumi. "What do you think?"

"Uhh… I guess so?" Truth be told, he did think the elk was majestic. Like a king of the forest.

"Anyway," Rowan took his eyes off of the elk. "Let's get moving. It'll take a while before we get to the river."

"Lead the way," Mina said.

They continued their walk. The trees become more spread out as they went along. They were bent and shaped at odd angles, like trees from a fairy tale. Naofumi half expected a pixie to come fluttering out from one of the tree hollows.

"Wait."

Rowan halted and Naofumi nearly bumped into him.

"What is it?" Was there a beast nearby? Rowan did not sound tense, but he had more experience hunting. This could just be another day for him.

Rowan crouched down and ran his hand over the dirt.

"I think we got one." He said, still observing the ground.

"What makes you say that?" Rachel asks.

"Come look." He waved them over. When they crouched down to see what he was looking at, they saw a rather large hoofprint.

"This belongs to a silver moose. The print looks fresh, probably ten minutes old, if I had to guess. Which means there should be one close to the river."

He reached into the underside of his fur shawl and pulled out a spider the size of his hand.

"The hell?" Naofumi gasped. Does the guy keep spiders on him?!

Rowan held the spider close to his face then set it on the ground. It scurried off ahead of them at a fast speed.

"What was that just now?" Rachel asked.

"I told her to scout ahead," Rowan replied. "She'll tell me if there's a sliver moose by the river."

Naofumi had questions. A _lot _of questions. But Rowan began walking.

Their walk took about a few minutes before Rowan stilled.

"Damn it," he muttered loudly.

"What?" Naofumi asked.

"We're too late." He looked back at them. "My spider reached the river and there aren't any silver moose. The one that left he hoofprint must've gone somewhere else to eat."

"Does this mean we have to look somewhere else?" Mina asked.

Rowan shook his head. "No. The river is a hotspot for silver moose on account of the water lilies. We're gonna have to wait a while until another one shows up."

Naofumi groaned. "And how long will that take?"

"Probably thirty minutes. Or an hour… maybe more. That's the thing with hunting. You sometimes have to wait a long time."

He wanted nothing more than to let out a loud yell like people do when they're in a remote area where no one could hear them.

This wasn't going in the right direction. None of this was.

"Sorry." Rowan rubbed his arms, looking dejected.

Naofumi bit back a curse. The way Rowan looked was that of a puppy that was kicked. Sad eyes and hunched down.

"Don't worry," he offered, trying to sound as calm as he could be. "We still have six days left before the race. We can afford a few hours."

This seemed to work, as Rowan's frown morphed into a reassuring smile.

"Thanks," he said. He looked a little happy now.

"Let's keep going."

Their walk was not long. Five minutes later, the trees became sparser and Naofumi could see a large clearing and he could hear the sound of water.

They made it.

Lining the river were several water plants. What was most noticeable were the white flowers growing adjacent to the river.

"Are those…"

"Water lilies," Rowan answered. "They bloom during the spring, so there will be plenty for the silver moose to feed on."

The anger from earlier went away. Naofumi couldn't help but smile. Just a little. If they had to wait, so be it. Six days was plenty of time to wait.

"What do we do next?" Mina asked.

"First, we have to find someplace to hide. Silver moose tend to be skittish if they see other animals or humans." He pointed to a massive log sitting close to the river. "There. We can hide behind that log."

When they all were behind the log, Rowan sat down and settled his bow on the ground. "We can relax. My spiders are already in their positions. They'll tell me if a silver moose is near."

Naofumi sat, followed by the girls.

"I've been meaning to ask," Naofumi settled his gaze on the hunter. "How does that work? The beastmaster thing."

Rowan sat up straight as if he was called by a teacher. "You still don't know about beastmasters?"

"I found out chimeras existed not long ago. I think that says a lot about my knowledge of this world."

"Sometimes I wonder how you're even alive at this point," Rachel reached into her satchel and took out her pipe. "I know you're still new here, but you could at least start asking questions instead of just going with the flow."

"I have to agree," Mina said. "It's dangerous to not have the proper knowledge of the world."

"No need to tell me twice," Naofumi said, irritated. He hated not knowing how things worked around here. He hated it more than he was seen as an idiot to everyone. Not that the other Heroes were knowledgeable either since they still think this world is some sort of augmented reality game.

_If being ignorant is bliss, they must be very fucking happy dumbasses._

"What would you like to know about beastmasters?" Rowan's question snapped him back into reality.

He had a lot of questions. If a person can control wolves and spiders, what else could they manipulate?

"How does it work?" It was a simple question.

Or so he thought.

"No one knows, really," Rowan responded.

When Naofumi didn't speak, Rowan continued. "There isn't an exact science to how this works. Not even mages themselves know how we can manipulate animals. It's one of those things that just happens without any cause."

"OK then." This was going to be more difficult than Naofumi imagined. "Can you at least tell me the basics of what a beastmaster is?"

"Sure." Rowan shifted his body until he was facing Naofumi. "To put it simply, as the name suggests, beastmasters are people who can manipulate animals. We have a telepathic bond with whatever animal we have a strong affinity to. In my case," He reached under his shawl and held his hand out, "it's spiders I can control."

The spider in his hand was a black widow. Naofumi almost recoils at the sight of it. He didn't have arachnophobia, but anyone would flinch if they saw a spider that can kill a person with its venom.

"Why spiders?" He asked when Rowan slid the black widow back underneath his shawl.

"It's because I have a strong affinity for spiders. As I said earlier, no one knows why there are people out there who have this ability, but usually, there's always one type of animal a beastmaster has a strong connection to. My master, Gareth, can manipulate felines. From house cats to mountain lions, felines are his strong suit. Whereas I can manipulate all kinds of spiders, though not other arthropods."

"I take it beastmasters can control wolves too, right?"

This made Rowan's eyes widened. "You met with Legrand?" His voice was urgent like he heard bad news.

"Who?"

"S-sorry," he shook his head. "You met with the captain of the royal knights?"

"…yeah. Why?"

Rowan was about to say something but closed his mouth. He twiddled his thumbs nervously.

"No reason," He finally said. "Gareth and Legrand know each other, is all." He chuckled, though it sounded forced.

The way he reacted when he heard the captain's name, the nervousness that showed up suddenly. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know something wasn't right about Legrand and Gareth. Bad blood? Betrayal? Naofumi didn't know.

"Anyway," Rowan said hastily, "back to beastmasters."

Talk about a shift in subject. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk about Legrand.

Strange.

"How did you become a beastmaster?"

Rowan seemed glad to be talking about something different. "We don't become beastmasters. We're born with it."

"Born with it?"

"That's how it's been," Mina supplied. "What may seem strange to you is common knowledge for all of us. From the waves to beastmasters, there's no strangeness in this world other than where you came from."

"That," Rachel said, letting out a puff of smoke from her pipe, "and this stuff is taught at schools and universities."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Naofumi said. "How the hell is someone born with the ability to control animals?"

"No one has been able to find out why," Rowan said. "When a baby has been born, a flock of a certain type of animal would gather around where the baby was born. That's how you know when they're a beastmaster."

"Then what, a bunch of spiders showed up to your home after you were born?"

"I was actually born in the village's hospital. A day after my birth, spiders from the hospital to all of the other villager's houses surrounded the room where my mother, father and I occupied." He smiled, reminiscing on the fond memory. "My parents said I made all the nurses and doctors scream when spiders crawled out from everywhere. It was an eventful birth."

If a bunch of spiders showed up out of nowhere around the time of a baby's birth, of course it would be eventful. And nightmarish.

"What then? What do you do from there?"

"Well, when a beastmaster is born, the animal they can control usually stay far away during the first few years after the baby is born. By the time the kid is five, the animals start to get closer and are more tamed. Since there's a telepathic bond between them, they can sense a beastmaster's emotions. Kids are kids, so they think it's cool and don't think much of it. Once they get older, they start to get the hang of controlling their animals."

Interesting. "You talk to them and they talk to you?"

"Not really. Yes, I can talk to them and give them commands both verbal and telepathic. But since animals can't speak, unless it's a rare magical animal, they don't use words. Rather, beastmasters can sense what an animal is trying to say. Like if one of my spiders is trying to warn me danger is approaching, they send rapid buzzing noises to me. Or they get in front of me and block me from where ever we're going."

This was starting to become more interesting. Normally, Naofumi would've not believed a single word coming out of Rowan's mouth (_I mean, spiders? And animal telepathy?)_ but he was forgetting he was stuck in a magical land with actual chimeras, magic users, and people who can talk with animals.

Forget all the RPGs he has played, this world was much better! Minus him being accused of rape and a majority of the country hating him, of course.

He'll be glad if by the grace of God that stigma will go away.

But for now, he had an array of questions to ask Rowan. He felt like a five-year-old asking a bunch of questions, giddy with excitement. This feeling of normalcy, or something close to it, was comforting. No one to glare daggers at him. Just him and these three people in the middle of a forest.

"You said Gareth can control cats, right?"

Rowan nodded, his smile brightening at the mention of his master. "Yes. He's called the King of Cats. Any feline he meets would follow him or be tamed right on the spot. Once, when we were on our way to Siltvelt for a hunt, a mountain lion jumped out in front of us but when she saw Gareth, she sat down and didn't look like she was about to maul us."

Wow. Had this happen back home, Naofumi would've been dead meat. Literally.

"Gareth has trained long and hard to master his skills as a beastmaster and hunter," Rowan went on. "Which is why he's earned his status as a legendary hunter. Give him any kind of animal or monster to hunt, he and his cats will go and get the job done."

"I've heard tales of Gareth's hunts," Mina said. "Was it true that he took down a dragon and her younglings who terrorized a village near the mountains?"

"Yep! I would know, I was there too. Nearly got scorched by the dragon's fire breath. But we got the job done quickly. Got a lot of gold coins from that. Despite nearly getting burned, I had a good time hunting."

"Your enthusiasm shows," Rachel pointed out. "Kind of like how when I make medicine. Nothing's better than making perfect medicine. The same goes for a good hunt, right?"

"Or when perfecting a dance routine," Mina added.

"Yes!" Rowan practically shouted the word. "After a good hunt, I come back feeling happy. And I have Gareth to thank for that. If he didn't take me as his apprentice, I don't know what I would've done."

Naofumi couldn't help but smile, genuinely smile, at Rowan's elation. His own smile was infectious, it was hard not to smile.

"You said Gareth was out on a hunt, right?"

Like a twig snapping easily, Rowan's smile turned into a frown and the glimmer in his eyes dimmed.

_Damnit!_ He remembered yesterday when Rowan said Gareth was away. For a brief moment, Naofumi saw the hurt in his eyes just mentioning it.

He was so happy until Naofumi opened his big mouth.

"Yes," Rowan said. "He's away on a-"

His head snapped to the left where the river was.

Naofumi looked but saw nothing but the river and trees.

"What are you-"

"A silver moose is coming." Rowan crawled to the log and peered over it. "One of my spiders saw it go in the direction of the river."

Not long after the words left his mouth, a moose emerged from the trees.

Naofumi only ever mooses in textbooks and pictures. He knew they could grow as large as a truck and have massive antlers. But this moose was far different.

Its fur was pure silver. It almost seemed to glisten in what little sunlight there was. Compared to a regular moose, the silver moose is taut, its muscular legs firm like that of a runner's. It looked small from afar but if Naofumi was to get close, no doubt the moose will tower over him. The antlers themselves were massive and black as the night.

The moose sauntered to the river bed, lowered its head and ate a water lily.

"Beautiful," Mina observed.

"Damn," Rachel said. "Never thought I'd get the chance to see one."

"So what's the plan?" Naofumi asked. "You're gonna shot it with one of your arrows?"

"No," Rowan shook his head. "Since you need one to race, I can't risk hurting it with my arrows. And it'll be harder to put a taming spell on it if it's injured. What we need is to surround it and capture it."

"And how do we do that?"

Rowan smiled. "Watch."

He lifted a hand and using his index finger, he drew a circle in the air. An orange circle formed and Rowan drew a pattern in the circle.

"Grow."

The sigil shattered.

Where the moose was, patches of the grass glowed orange. The moose was oblivious to the glowing grass. Naofumi was about to ask what Rowan did, but he didn't have to. It wasn't the grass that was glowing.

In one patch, a spider grew to the size of a small car.

The moose spat out the flower from shock and turned-

Another spider grew from the grass. And another. And another. The moose was surrounded by five giant spiders. When the moose flanked to the left, the closest spider stepped in the way. When the moose saw an opening, a spider blocked its way. They had it completely surrounded on all sides.

"Alright," Rowan said. "Now I just need one of my spiders to jump on it and start webbing it."

"And that's it?" Naofumi could hardly believe that this was so easy.

"Yes. First one of them will numb it with a bite and the others will wrap its legs. That should allow me to put a taming spell on-"

His words died as a look of dread replaced his assuring expression. "Oh no."

"What?" Naofumi didn't like those words.

"Something's coming."

The spiders sensed this as they stood still. The silver moose took advantage of their stillness and bolted out of there, running into the trees.

A loud piercing cry shook the forest, causing the birds nesting in trees to take flight.

"What the hell?" Rachel looked around to see where the growl came from.

"Should we leave?" Mina was already starting to stand, ready to run.

Then, something burst through the trees, startling them all.

It was a bear. Not a black bear or a grizzly bear. This bear was much, much larger than any bear Naofumi had ever seen in pictures. Its fur was the color of rust speckled with red. The claws were the most intimidating thing besides its size.

"A devil bear," Rowan said. "We need to leave. Now. My spiders will take care of it."

He ushered Mina to kneel back down. "It probably smelled us. They're known for their sense of smell. We just have to wait for an opening before running. Devil bears aren't as fast as silver moose or a tyrera, but they're fast enough to catch a human."

Rowan set his gaze on his spiders, staring intently at them. Naofumi could only imagine what he's saying to them telepathically.

The devil bear toon one swipe at the nearest spider. The spider jumped back before retaliating by jumping on it. The bear thrashed around, trying to dislodge the spider from its back. But the spider held firm, wrapping its legs around the bear's abdomen. The bear was bucking around like a bull trying to shake loose its rider.

Its thrashing was futile. With eight legs wrapped around it, it was impossible to shake off the spider. The spider knew this as well. It reared back its jaw and sunk its fangs into the bear's neck. The bear's piercing cry of pain shook the travelers in their core.

"Gods." Mina grimaced.

The spider unwrapped itself from the bear just as another spider charge in, knocking the bear on its side. Then all the spiders pounced on it, clawing and biting the fleshy parts of the bear.

"Now." Rowan ran back to the back they had taken. The girls watched the carnage a little bit before following Rowan.

Naofumi stayed behind. His feet were rooted to the ground. The logical side of him said to follow Rowan. If the bear somehow manages to free itself from the spiders, he will become its target. But the logical side of him was subdued by his curiosity. Right in front of him, giant spiders were biting and clawing a massive bear. When he could smell the metallic scent of blood, it hit him how real this is.

How real it is for someone to manipulate animals to their every bidding.

A spider tore a chunk of the bear, the entrails splattering to the ground. The scent of blood was too much. Naofumi covered his nose but the action proved fruitless as he could still smell the blood.

The bear stopped moving. The spiders began to wrap it in silk, preparing it for a meal.

Naofumi turned, looking over his shoulder once more at the carnage. At the reality of this world.

* * *

"I'm really sorry I couldn't get a silver moose for you guys."

Naofumi shifted his weight awkwardly as the hunter bowed.

"I promise you that by tomorrow, I _will_ get you a silver moose."

After the group had left the river, Rowan informed them defeatedly that because of the presence of the devil bear, it might've scared off any silver moose there was. He still insisted that there might be one if they looked hard enough.

Two hours later, their search resulted in no silver moose.

It was easy for anyone to place blame on Rowan. Being the apprentice of a master hunter should've made him an expert at finding and capturing animals with ease. Thinking about it logically, Naofumi knew the blame fell on the damned bear. That damned devil bear. If he ever went back to his world, he would never look at a bear the same way.

Actually, he would never see a spider the same way. Go figure.

Placing blame on the bear didn't help with his anger. There just had to be a freaking bear the size of a car to scare away the only animal he needed to ride. Were the gods of this world against him like everyone else? Naofumi was starting to think so.

"It's fine," he waved a hand dismissively. It was_ not_ fine, but he didn't want Rowan to blame himself.

The hunter looked up. "Really?"

"Yeah. We still have a few more days, so we can find one tomorrow."

The words were easy to say. Actually doing it was going to be difficult. So long as they didn't run into another devil bear, capturing a silver moose should be easy.

Rowan stood straight and smiled. "Y-yeah. Tomorrow for sure. For now, let's enjoy the rest of the day doing…" he trailed off. "Whatever you guys were doing before. Before I showed up, I mean. Or if you want to do something else?"

He reminded Naofumi a little of those shy kids he had seen in school. There were lots of them in university too. For someone who could control spiders, he didn't look or sound the part.

Rowan was trying hard to socialize with them. Clearly, small talk was not his strongest forte. Hunting and spiders seemed to make him talk more.

"We'll see."

Rachel nudged him with her elbow. "Be nice. He's the only hunter who's willing to help us."

"Why don't we rest and get a meal at the inn?" Mina suggested. "A good meal will lift our spirits, wouldn't you say?"

"That sounds great," Rowan said. "I help out the owner by bringing in fresh game. They've got fresh vegetables too. We can together. I-if you'll have me, of course."

Mina placed a hand on his arm. "We would be delighted to have you join us. You are helping us. It's the least we could do."

Rowan's eyes shifted to Naofumi for an answer.

"…sure."

"Thank you!" The glimmer in Rowan's eyes returned.

They were not far from the village. A faint trail of smoke rose from the trees, meaning the village was close.

When the gate came into view, a wolf was lying down next to a post.

"Ummm…" Rachel stopped and backed away from the gate. "Should we be worried about that?"

"Wait." Rowan pushed onward, showing no fear of the wolf.

The wolf heard them and lifted its head. There was something familiar about it to Naofumi for some odd reason.

"I think this is one of Legrand's wolves."

"The Captain?" Naofumi asked. What the hell was he doing here?

"Yes, there's no mistaking it. The wolves here stay away from villages. This one is tamed. No doubt it belongs to Legrand. But why is he here?"

Entering the village, a large group of villagers was clustered together at the village center. It was still cloudy, but some of the sun's rays penetrated through, making the gold lining on the black armor stand out.

"He certainly stands out, doesn't he?" Mina quipped.

"Who wouldn't with all that black armor," Rachel said. "How much do you want to bet that's actual gold on his armor?"

"Hardly seems practical to have gold on any armor, doesn't it?"

While the women talked, Naofumi glanced at Rowan to ask him about Legrand when he noticed how the hunter was staring intently at the man. It as the same stare when he saw the silver moose. Calculating. But there was also a hint of nervousness as well. Not the kind of nervousness a shy person has. It was more along the lines of not wanting to talk with someone even though they had to. _That_ kind of nervousness.

He did say that Gareth and Legrand knew each other. Does the same apply to Rowan?

Naofumi was about to ask when Rowan reached over and tapped a villager on the arm.

"Excuse me. Do you know why the Captain is here?"

"Did you hear Rowan?" The villager looked back at the Captain. "The mayor asked him to find some bandits who stole some of our crops a while back. He found them and is collecting the reward."

The crowd started to disperse and they could see Legrand speaking with an older man, a bag of coins extended to him.

"I insist." The mayor shook the bag. "You did us a wonderful service of capturing those dastards. It's the least I could do."

"You never give up do you?" Legrand laughed, taking the bag.

"But of course! In fact, why don't you stay here for a while? You spent days chasing leads until you found them. With Gareth gone and Rowan taking hunts here and there, we need all the help we can get."

As if sensing someone was watching them, the mayor looked in their direction. "Ah! Rowan! Good to see you there."

Legrand turned and a looked surprised to see them.

"Shield Hero." He nodded in Naofumi's direction. "Fancy meeting you here." His eyes soon landed on Rowan.

"Hello, Rowan. I hope things are going well for you in Gareth's absence."

"Y-yeah. I-I mean, it is. Doing good." Rowan said forcefully.

"Well, this is splendid!" The mayor boasted. "The Captain of the knights and Haven Clove's own hunter together. What say we throw a party tonight at the inn? Rowan, if you're not busy, I hope you can make it."

"Uh…" He looked between the mayor and Legrand who regarded him with a friendly face. "Sure. Yeah. I'll be there."

"Marvelous! I should go inform the innkeeper at once!" The mayor trotted off to the inn, leaving the five of them there.

"What are you all doing together?" Legrand asked

"I was helping them hunt a silver moose." Rowan answered.

"Silver moose? What on earth would you need one for?"

Naofumi explained the situation to Legrand who nodded.

"I see. That Malty can be quite a handful."

_More like shit-ful,_ Naofumi thought. He didn't care if that wasn't a real word.

"Well then, I wish you luck on your hunt. Feel free to ask me for help. I may not be a hunter like Gareth or Rowan, but I can help."

"I'll be sure to ask." Rowan looked at the ground before looking back up at them all. "I'm gonna go home now. See you all tonight at the party."

He left quickly like a mouse running to its hiding hole.

"He's a shy one, that Rowan." Legrand crossed his arms. "Shy, but resourceful."

"He said that you and Gareth know each other." Rachel said.

"About six years. The Queen had asked him to come and teach the knights how to properly hunt monsters if we ever came across any. I owe it to that man for teaching me. I can see why Rowan looks up to him."

He says this, but Naofumi remembered the look Rowan had on his face when he saw Legrand. Like there was more to him than just a helpful knight.

And it seemed Rowan knew this as well.

"Now that we're all here, why don't I treat you all to lunch? You guys must be hungry from all that walking and waiting."

He walked in the direction of the inn. Rachel and Mina followed while Naofumi stayed behind.

Something wasn't right.

And Naofumi knew when something isn't right, it could only mean one thing.

Trouble.


	18. Chapter 17

Slowly, he started to taste food again.

The slice of brisket in front of him smelled delicious. Served with veggies and garlic bread, Naofumi didn't hesitate to cut a slice of the meat and eat it. It was partially covered in sauce and it made the brisket all the more savory. When shit went down after being accused, food tasted like air, nothing and nothing. Whatever food or drinks he had were devoid of any flavor. He put salt, pepper, and asked for the cooks to put spices on any of the food he ate.

They tasted all the same: nothing.

That started to change when he met Rachel. It improved even more when Mina joined. His taste wasn't fully back, but he could appreciate the hearty meal.

Naofumi looked to his companions. Rachel was almost halfway done with her brisket and Mina was enjoying each bite of her food.

Earlier, when the mayor of Haven Clove announced there would be a party for Legrand, the people didn't hesitate to gather the supplies. Now, at the inn, a cluster of villagers crowded around tables and at the bar. The liveliness of it was infectious. So much so that Naofumi felt a pang of uncertainty in his chest. The party was for Legrand, not for him. But it was still a party nonetheless. Meaning he should enjoy it.

It was just like the party the villagers of Westbrook had thrown for them when they took down the chimera and cured the villagers of Frost Sickness. There were no fancy nobles in fancy clothing with haughty expressions like the party at the capital. Here, it was free, reckless, fun.

Something Naofumi noticed, just like in Westbrook, there were demi-humans here as well. No one was giving them a side-eye or outright glaring at them. The prejudice must only be in certain areas of Melromarc.

Across from the dining area, a group of men was cheering on a man and a woman who were chugging large mugs of beer. The woman slammed her mug down and the group cheered.

Everyone was having fun.

Everyone except him.

It wasn't that Naofumi didn't want to have fun. But there were things in the way that prevented him from having any fun.

There was the issue of not getting a silver moose. Then having to go back to Lute Village and race Motoyasu. Then wait until the next wave. Then wait _again_ for the next wave. And so on and so forth.

Then came the issue of whether or not Rachel and Mina would even stay with him. Unlike them, he only had one task. Protect the people from wave monsters. He entertained the idea of the girls getting bored and leaving him. Rachel going to who knows where selling her medicine and Mina going to and from cities and villages trying to find her parents and the Black Foxes.

That just left him with nothing. Absolutely nothing.

He takes his mug and downs half of it. Something he learned when he first became the Shied Hero was that alcohol had no effect on him. The first night he was ousted as a villain, he drank four bottles of alcohol at an alehouse in Castle Town. He woke up the next morning with no hangover. Meaning he could drown his sorrows in alcohol and not feel the consequences.

"What's got you down in the dumps?" Rachel pushed her finished plate forward and rested her elbows on the table.

"Everything."

"Quit acting like it's the end of the world. We still have a couple more days to get a silver moose. What happened earlier was thanks to that devil bear."

"And we have Rowan with us," Mina chimmed in. "I'm sure we'll capture a silver moose with his aid. We just have to keep positive."

Naofumi commended them for their positivity. He wished it would rub off on him. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so mentally exhausted.

He downed the last of his beer and his eyes caught something red in the crowd. In a table near the bar, Rowan bit into lamb chops. On the table next to his plate a tarantula the size of a house cat bit into a bird of some kind.

Naofumi had seen the hunter enter the bar shortly after the party started with his tarantula. Some of the villagers had joined him, completely unfazed by the giant spider. Now it was just him and the spider.

On the opposite side of the room, Naofumi saw Legrand sitting with other patrons. Three wolves were under the table biting off large chunks of meat. The patrons were leaning close to Legrand as the captain was saying something. Naofumi guessed it was some sort of tale he had.

What Naofumi noticed was Rowan sneaking glances at the man. He would drink from his mug, shift his eyes to Legrand, and shift them back to the spider.

Something was seriously up between the two. Though it seemed as if it was Rowan who was worried, not Legrand. Perhaps this is all one-sided.

Sighing, Naofumi leaned back. Why couldn't any of this be easier for him? He might as well add Rowan's change in behavior to his ever-expanding list of problems. For a moment, he did feel guilty about the thought. Rowan wasn't a nuisance. He did offer to help them free of charge. And he is a skilled under trained under a legendary hunter.

But there was no telling what might happen between him and Legrand.

"Should we invite him over?" Mina's voice broke Naofumi's concentration on Rowan.

"I don't see why not," Rachel says. "It might get him to open up to us. He seems friendly."

Naofumi would be lying if he said he didn't want him to join. There was something about Rowan that piqued his interest. It was Legrand's and his master's whereabouts. When Naofumi said Gareth's name, Rowan looked sad, like a gray cloud was hovering over him.

Maybe if he opened up about Legrand and Gareth, his gloomy expression would start to make sense.

"How 'bout we go to him." Naofumi stood and gathered his plate and mug.

They approached Rowan's table and the hunter took notice of them.

He smiled. "Hey. How are you guys enjoying the evening?"

"Very well, thank you." Mina sat down next to him.

Rachel took her seat across from them, leaving Naofumi with a full view of the tarantula. When he sat down, the spider stopped eating and just sat there. Its beady black eyes didn't move, but Naofumi was sure it was looking at him.

Rowan noticed and chuckled. "Don't worry. He won't bite you. I trained all my spiders to not bite anyone here."

If only that was reassuring. The tarantula went back to eating the bird. He saw it tear liquified chunks of it and stuffed it in its mouth.

He shook involuntarily.

"Listen," Naofumi shuffled a little farther away from the spider. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Is it about the silver moose? Because I can still get you one tomorrow."

Naofumi waved a hand dismissively. "It's not that. I want to know more about your master."

Rowan sat up straight the way a student was called by a teacher. "W-what do you mean?"

"I mean about where he is."

"Where's this coming from?" Rachel asked.

"Not the type of topic one says so bluntly," Mina commented.

Naofumi crossed his arms. "Look, I appreciate you helping us with the silver moose thing, I really do. But it's obvious you miss your master. And something tells me you don't think positively of the Captain over there."

Rowan glanced at Legrand before drawing his attention back to Naofumi.

"I have enough on my plate as it is dealing with what's going on in Lute Village and the Waves. I don't need a distracted hunter to mess up on our hunt."

His words were blunt. He did appreciate the work Rowan is doing to help them when no one else can or would. His skills as a hunter and beastmaster can help them. Just not when said hunter is distracted.

A glare from Rachel only made him angry. He didn't care what she thought. It was the truth.

"Sorry," Rowan said. He picked at his food with a fork. "You're right. I shouldn't let my emotions get in the way of me helping you. It's just that…" He had a faraway look in his eyes.

"Just what? Whatever you have to say, you can say it to us."

Rowan opened his mouth, then closed it. He turned to where Legrand was. The Captain hadn't noticed them. Not even the wolves as a waiter brought more chunks of meat for them.

"Not here," Rowan stood. "I'm sorry, but if you want to know what I have to say, it has to be in my house. I don't want Legrand's wolves to hear."

"Hear what?" Mina asked.

"Something important. Please," he bowed his head. "There's something I have to tell you."

There it is. Just a little more.

"Alright. Lead the way."

They left the inn and walked a good two minutes before coming upon a standard wooden house similar to the other houses. But this one looked slightly bigger.

"Sorry about the mess," Rowan said when they entered.

The 'mess' he mentioned were the bones of what Naofumi assumed to be small animals. Rowan lifted a hand and a small gust of wind carried the bones to a corner of the room.

_Wind magic. _Naofumi thought.

Rowan ushered them to the living room which consisted of two chairs, a round coffee table, a sofa, and… a gun?

Sitting on the coffee table was a flintlock revolver. The barrel was long and polished well enough to see his reflection. In all the time he spent in Castle Town, not once did he see anyone – civilians or guards – carry guns. Not even the Slave Trader had one.

"Nice gun," Rachel said. "Let me guess, Silvershore?"

Rowan nodded, looking proud. "Yep. And it's from Innis. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy one. And I got an icebox from Silvershore too. Which, um, came from Innis also." He pointed to the kitchen and next to a wood stove was a wooden box the size of the stove with two doors. One side had a light blue haze surrounding it while the other had a deep blue haze.

Naofumi gaped at it. _A fridge. He has a _fucking_ fridge._

Just how advanced is this Innis place?

"Neat, huh?" Rowan chuckled. "I had to ask someone in the village to activate it with ice magic and it works like a charm."

Naofumi wanted to look at it more. He'd never seen such a thing. He knew iceboxes were a thing people had back then. Except they didn't have magic to make it cold 24/7.

But he was getting off-topic. "Anyway," he sat down on one of the chairs. "You said you had something to tell us."

"Oh! Right. Yes. Umm…" Rowan sat on the sofa. When he did, a large spider hopped onto his lap. Rowan stroked its abdomen.

Curious, Naofumi wanted to see if it had any stats. Opening his status screen he was surprised at its level. A Lv. 28 jumping spider. This is going to take some getting used to. He thanked God there weren't any spiders that big in his world.

"What do you have to tell us?" Rachel sat down next to him and crossed her legs. "I don't really know why Naofumi is doing this, but he's right. You do look like you have something to say."

"Well…" His head dippsed low.

Mina sat on the other chair. "Whatever it is, you can tell us," she said soothingly. "We may not be able to help, but maybe your spirits will be lifted if you tell us."

Her words made the hunter look back up.

"I… w-well… umm…" He took in a deep breath.

And exhaled.

"I think… I think Legrand may have done something to my master."

_What?_ Naofumi thought. This was getting interesting.

He leaned in slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

"Like he did something bad?" Rachel offered.

Rowan shook his head. "No. At least, I don't think." He didn't sound so sure of himself either.

This made Naofumi even more curious. "Mind elaborating on that?"

"Right." Rowan adjusted himself on the sofa. "As you all know, Gareth is away on a hunt and normally this wouldn't be an issue. But…"

"But?"

"But he's been gone for so long and I haven't even gotten a single letter from him." He waved a hand to a stack of mail next to the gun. "Two months I've been waiting for any word and nothing."

"And what makes you think Legrand did something to him?" Mina asked.

"It's not that I think he did something to him like hurt Gareth. I think he knows more about the situation but isn't telling me. Like he doesn't want to."

"Start from the beginning," Naofumi said. "Back to when this all started."

Rowan nodded. "About two months ago, Legrand came to Haven Clove with an official order on behalf of the royal knights. Because Gareth and I are good hunters, we get requests from many villages, cities, and from the queen and knights themselves to take out monsters that are causing trouble. Even other countries have asked for our assistance.

"When Legrand gave the parchment to Gareth, something about it made Gareth look… scared."

"Scared of what? A monster?"

"It has to be. But Gareth has gotten orders to take out monsters hundreds of times during his time as a hunter. Even when he took me in as his apprentice, he was never showed fear when he was asked to hunt a type of monster."

"Did he say anything about it?" Rachel chimmed in.

"That's the thing," Rowan sounded dejected. "He didn't tell me. When I asked, he just laughed it off and said it was nothing. I wanted to ask more, but he had to leave immediately."

"Wait," Naofumi interrupted. "He just left you here? You didn't tag along with him?" From the way Rowan talked about Gareth, it made them sound like they hunted monsters all the time together.

"No," Rowan answered. "Usually, if there's a request and it's a monster I haven't fought or know nothing about, Gareth usually takes them on by himself. Though he does take me sometimes to watch from afar while he kills the monster."

"Then what gives? I still don't see the issue of Legrand."

"Righ. Sorry," his ears turned red. "Um, after Legrand gave the order to Gareth, I noticed something odd about Legrand. Specifically, his eyes."

"His eyes?" Naofumi was getting more confused by the second.

"An important rule Gareth taught me when hunting is to always look in the eyes of your prey. Eyes show what someone is like more than any other part of the body. I look straight into their eyes, never showing fear. That I'm here to kill it. Since then, I sometimes look in people's eyes to see who they are. It's a habit."

"And you saw something in Legrand's eyes?" Rachel asked.

"Yes." Rowan nestled the jumping spoder closer to his chest. "Legrand's eyes… they were cold. Colder than ice and sharper than any sword. They were… filled with contempt."

For a second, Naofumi understood what he meant about the eyes. He recalled the look on Malty's face when she accused him. Her green eyes were like acid. Nothing about them said she was a kind-hearted person. Then there was the King himself. Eyes so full of anger, he could practically feel the emotion from them.

What came next were the eyes of the citizens. Nothing but contempt. Such small things they were but filled with so many emotions. Naofumi came to realize how scary eyes can be.

"And that's why you think he's suspicious?" Mina asked.

"Not only that, but I know he's hiding something. A few weeks ago, I was asked by a village leader to kill a frog monster clan and when I came back to collect the reward, Legrand and some of the knights had arrived when I was hunting. They were going around villages looking for recruits.

"I decided to ask Legrand if he knew anything about Gareth's whereabouts. He said no and that I shouldn't worry. But his eyes said otherwise."

That summed up what Naofumi wanted to know. _Typical. _He thought when thinking back on Malty and the King. They all had ulterior motives. Legrand seemed okay enough as a person who helped him and Rachel fight against those bandits. But looks can be deceiving. And he just got deceived. Again.

Is everyone in this forsaken world evil? Is this place even worth saving with so much evil and darkness buried in the hearts of the people?

Why is he even here?

Naofumi noticed the way Rowan was petting the spider caringly. It was a comfort to him, having the spider on his lap.

He didn't know why, but he was reminded of Akito. His brother and Rowan are two completely different people, personality-wise. But the look of distress on Rowan's face brought back a memory. A rather unpleasant one.

It happened on a weekend night. His parents were asleep and he was up playing video games. College entrance exams were done and he wanted to spend the next few days not worrying about school. He'd just finished killing a boss monster and decided to get a glass of milk.

The light to Akito's room was on and Naofumi didn't think much of it. Akito was a teenager and like most teens, they stayed up late on weekends. Naofumi passed by, only to walk back. The door was ajar, revealing his brother sitting on the bed, staring out the window. This was over a year after he started acting out. The dyed hair was proof of that.

It was odd to see him staring out the window like he was looking for something. That's when he saw it. A look of distress. Naofumi felt a pang of guilt in his heart. Thanks to his laziness, his parents forced all their expectations onto Akito and the end result wasn't looking good.

It was his fault Akito was acting out. It was why he looked so stressed with school and his new friends.

Now, he saw that same look on Rowan. Naofumi couldn't fix Rowan's problem as he did with Akito. How could he?

Some hero he was.

"I don't know what to do," Rowan spoke. "I mean, I could be wrong about all this. Not to mention I could get in trouble if I accuse him without proof. I have nothing."

Whoever this Gareth was, Naofumi could see that he meant a lot to Rowan. But there was nothing he could do about it.

"Sorry about your master," was all he could say.

"Thanks," Rowan nodded. He looked outside a window. "It's getting late. You guys should rest up. Tomorrow we'll leave a bit early to get a better head start. How does 9 sound?"

He was trying to change the subject. Naofumi decided to play along.

"Sounds good. What about you two?" He looked to the women.

"Not a problem for me," Rachel said.

"That is fine with me," Mina responded.

"Good." Naofumi stood. "Thanks for telling us. I'm sure you'll hear from Gareth soon."

Rowan smiled slightly. "Thanks."

Back at the inn, the three were getting ready for bed.

"Poor guy." Rachel, freshly out of the bath, started combing her hair. "Makes you wonder where Gareth is, doesn't it?"

"I'm more concerned about Legrand." Mina removed her jewelry and set them inside her bag. "If that man did do something to Gareth, he should not be trusted. Especially if his behavior is like that of the King and Malty. Birds of a feather fly together."

Naofumi sighed. "It just never ends, does it?"

"There will always be assholes out there," Rachel said as she climbed into her bed. "Let's try to avoid him tomorrow."

Later, when the girls were fast asleep, Naofumi stayed up. He couldn't sleep no matter how much he shifted in bed. There has to be something he can do to help Rowan. But what?

His worries soon drifted away as slumber took over.

* * *

**Hello everyone! Sorry about the wait, I've been trying to get as much lore of Shield Hero in my head, hence why updates will be sporadic.**

**There is one thing I want to mention which will be seen in upcoming chapters. As you all know, the world map of Shield Hero is basically non-existent other than seeing it for five seconds in the anime. And so, with that, I've decided to add more to the world of Shield Hero. This is an AU story and with that, this AU will have more places for Naofumi and Co. to be visiting. Already they're at a section of Melromarc that's a giant forest spanning for miles. Later they will visit areas that are like valleys, mountains, desert cities, a place that's cold all year round, and more. And yes, that includes Innis. What's Innis you ask? That will be explained later.**

**Thank you all so much for favoriting, following, and leaving comments! It means so much to me!**


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey everyone! Sorry this chapter took a while to post. I originally wanted it to be shorter but decided it would be best if I did not split it up.**

**(See author notes at the end regarding two frequently ask questions)**

**Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment! **

* * *

This is a stupid plan.

_And I'm the idiot who came up with it at four in the morning._

Naofumi stifled a yawn. The village of Haven Clove was silent save for the crickets. A cool breeze blew by and he wrapped his arms around himself. He was already regretting this idea. He blamed it on Legrand.

He couldn't sleep. Thoughts of Legrand and Rowan nagged at him until he finally managed to get some sleep. Only to wake up around four and couldn't sleep. The girls were peacefully sleeping away. Lucky them. While he was getting only four hours of sleep, they'll get the full eight hours.

Yep, blame this on Legrand.

When sleep wasn't an option, Naofumi climbed out of his bed, pulled a chair and sat by the window. The full moon bathed the room in soft moonlight. It was the only thing that offered any ounce of normalcy in this strange world. If he stared long enough, he could imagine he was back home.

He cast a glance at the village. The room they were occupying was on the third-floor which game him a good view of the village. Naofumi could make out Rowan's house. It was one of the very few houses that have two stories. For someone who looked young, he did live a good life as a hunter. And there were the rewards he received after each hunt.

Briefly, Naofumi wondered where Gareth's house was. It must've been the same size as Rowan's house but it was difficult to pinpoint exactly which one. Some houses looked the same while others had one or more decorations outside that made them stand out.

Again, the normalcy of the houses made him wish he was at home and not in this world. The more he thought about home, the more he wished he could go back.

Leaning against the window, Naofumi thought back on today's events. It was tiring. Everything was tiring. This world, the people, the fucking waves. If the waves have been going on for over a thousand years as Rachel said, why hasn't it completely wiped it all out? Why not just destroy everything? If that were the case, he would be back home living his mundane life. He would take simplicity over extraordinary.

Sure, his life wasn't grand, but back home, he wasn't hated by half the population thanks to that stupid bitch.

He sighed. Why did this have to happen to him? The first day he arrived in Melromarc with the other guys, he was somewhat excited. That came crashing down thanks to Malty.

But things were starting to work in his favor. He saved Lute Village and they thanked him deeply. Then there was Rachel and Mina. The only people, along with Elhart, who was nice to him. They were the silver lining in all of this. He hoped that the King would realize what big idiots the heroes were and send them back for new ones.

But where would that leave Lute Village and the rest of the country? And what would happen to Rachel, Mina, and Rowan? Especially Mina and Rowan.

With Mina, they have to rely on luck just to find her parents and avoid any contact with the Black Foxes. He didn't know just how dangerous they were, but from what Mina said about the Sunset Incident, they are ruthless killers who won't hesitate to slit someone's throat.

Then there's Rowan. If he was to look for Gareth, it could take him months, maybe years before he finds him. Alive or dead.

_Poor kid._

If what he said was true, then Legrand does know something. The captain was staying the night here. After they returned from Rowan's home, Naofumi saw him speaking with the innkeeper and lugging his belongings up the stairs, his wolves following him.

He wished he saw his eyes to confirm Rowan's suspicion. If he could see the coldness and sharpness Rowan saw. He could be sleeping in the next room or below them. The answer to Rowan's question was in this very inn.

That's when he came up with a plan.

Which is how he found himself outside Rowan's house at four in the morning.

This was stupid. There was no guarantee if he would even wake up. But it was now or never. If Legrand were to leave today, then all of Rowan's hope would be gone.

Steeling himself ready, Naofumi knocked on the door.

Nothing.

He knocked again.

…

Then came the sound of footsteps.

"Give me a second, Naofumi!" Rowan called out.

Naofumi gaped at the door surprised. _How did he know it was me?_

The doorknob turned and Rowan poked his head out.

"Um… is there something you need?" He too looked surprised. He sure as hell wasn't expecting anyone to visit him at this hour.

"How did you know it was me?" Naofumi asked.

Rowan pointed outside. Naofumi followed his direction and-

"GAH!" He fell back on his butt and scooted away.

There, on the awning of the door, a spider the size of a dinner plate was handing from a web string.

"Wh-wh-wh-what the hell?!"

Rowan, unfazed by Naofumi's fall, cupped his hands underneath the spider. The orange sigil he drew from yesterday materialized in front of his face and the spider began to shrink until it was the size of Rowan's palm. The spider lowered itself, detaching from the web and crawled up Rowan's arm.

"She's my security guard," he said matter of factly. "I knew it was you because I saw through her eyes."

"Saw?" Naofumi got up and dusted himself off.

"Yeah. I guess I didn't mention it to you guys, but beastmasters can also look through the eyes of animals if they concentrate hard."

Now that he didn't have to worry about a giant spider, his sudden shock dissipated. "Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about. It's about Legrand."

Hearing the Captain's name made Rowan still.

"What about him?"

"This is a long shot, but I have a plan that involves him. Can I come in?"

"S-sure." He pushed open the door wider.

Inside, Naofumi took a seat on the sofa while Rowan went to the kitchen. "Do you want some water?"

He was about to say no, but his throat did feel parched when he woke earlier. "Sure."

The sound of running water filled the otherwise silence.

Whatever year he arrived in, Naofumi was glad that plumbing was a thing. He dreads the day he would have to use a chamber pot and have to throw it outside.

Rowan returned with the glass and Naofumi took it, drinking every last drop of it.

"So," he set the glass on the coffee table, "I think I have an idea on how you can get information about Gareth."

"How so?" Rowan's eyes gleamed with hope. This was probably his only chance at knowing Gareth's whereabouts.

"You said Legrand may know where he is, right?"

"Yes. I believe so."

"Well, if you're right on your hunch, then you need to look through his things back at the inn."

It wasn't the most complicated plan out there. They weren't breaking into a vault or scaling mountains to reach the top where treasure might lay. It was simple and easy.

He continued on. "He's bound to have something relating to Gareth in his belongings. A journal, maybe some documents or letters. If any of those things have proof of where Gareth is, then you can find him."

Naofumi expected Rowan to bear some sort of resemblance to excitement. But his face betrayed any signs of hope.

"There's one problem," he said. "His wolves. Beastmasters are highly tuned to their animals and if one or two of them see me, they'll alert Legrand and it'll be over before it starts. I could get arrested if I got caught going through his things."

Naofumi raised a finger. "That's where I come in."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that me, Rachel and Mina could ask him to hunt a silver moose for us. If we can convince him, he'll be far away from the village to where his wolves might not even be in contact with him."

The gleam of hope in Rowan's eye brightened. _'There we go.'_ Naofumi thought.

"That… might just work," Rowan said. "Well, there's still the problem of the wolves. While Legrand may be far away, they're still under his command."

"How so?" If the plan was going to get tangled, he'll just have to untangle.

"The distance between a beastmaster and their animal is one thing. But if they're given a command, they'll follow said command until their master comes back. If I told one of my spiders to kill a bear, they'll go and find the bear even if our connection is cut off. It'll still be following my command until I can sense it.

"Meaning that the wolves will fight like hell to protect Legrand's things."

That was a tricky obstacle.

It didn't take him less than five seconds to come up with a solution.

"Rachel. She can concoct something to knock them out. Will that work?"

"Yeah… Yeah! That could work!" Rowan smiled. "Thank you, Naofumi. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"It's nothing."

"No, it's nothing," he insisted. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Even if I don't find anything, I'll still have hope that Gareth will return. Or maybe I can go find him myself. You really are a hero."

Hero.

The fresh graves from Lute Village came to mind. The people he failed to save. Vividly, he remembers the bodies being carried. One had so much blood on their shirt, the whiteness of it was replaced by dark red. In the distance, someone was crying. "Papa!"

He was their salvation, their hero. And he failed them.

No. He wasn't a hero. The graves were a reminder of that. And the child calling for their dad.

"I'm not."

He clenched his hands. His nails were biting into his skin. The pain ebbed the sadness creeping upon him like a plague. His eyes burned slightly, tears threatening to spill.

"_Papa!"_

"You know…"

Naofumi looked up. Rowan leaned back on the couch his body relaxed. "I failed a few hunts before. No hunter is ever perfect. Not even Gareth, and he's considered the best out there. Once, when I was ten, Gareth took me out to the grasslands to hunt bison. I've never seen one and when I did, I was a little scared."

He laughed at the memory. "I was trained well enough to hunt big animals and monsters, but I get a little scared sometimes when I see one. The bison we were hunting was no exception. The bison was causing trouble for anyone traveling the dirt path. Chasing them away, destroying even a few carts.

"We were hiding behind a big rock and the bison was eating grass. Completely distracted. I had a clear shot. I nocked an arrow and was ready to shot. I was aiming for the neck. It should've been easy. But even if I did hit its neck, it will still have enough strength left to charge after me. Because of that fear, my arrow missed the neck and went to its stomach.

"Of course, the bison got mad and was about to turn and charge at us had Gareth not killed it with a perfect aim for the neck. His arrow hit an artery and the bison bled out in a minute. I was so scared he would chastise me, tell me that I wasn't a great hunter. You know what he did?"

Naofumi could only stare.

"We went to a village and at the inn we stayed in, he ordered us buffalo meat with stuffed bread, cauliflower, beans, and a beer for him and apple juice for me. 'Chin up, Rowan!'" Rowan puffed out his chest and spoke deeper. "'No use being gloomy when there's fresh food in front of you. Enjoy!'"

Rowan chuckled. "I guess he was trying to tell me that everyone fails. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, just know that you'll do better next time. And I did. He really helped a lot when I started to doubt myself. What I'm trying to say is, we don't always get the outcome we want. I know our circumstances are different, but you can't save everyone. Just like how I can't always be a perfect hunter who never fails."

Naofumi could feel the guilt and anger simmer. The memory of the graves and crying child is still fresh in his mind. But eventually, it will fade but still be present. It will be a reminder of how cruel fate can be. But that he tried. And he will try again.

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Thanks."

"No worries," Rowan said. "I'm not good with small talk, let alone giving advice. I've always been shy since I was little, but I can be brave enough to say something if needed. And it looked like you needed some comfort. I-I hope it was good advice. It was good advice, right?" He canted his head slightly.

"It helped," Naofumi replied. "Though it might take a while before I'm comfortable with being called a hero."

"But you are a hero!"

His sudden outburst startled Naofumi. Rowan realized he spoke loudly and he blushed a deep red. "I-I mean that you do good things and… and I um… you… I… the thing is…" he sighed. "I'm not really good at these kinds of things."

He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I meant what I said. You are a hero. You saved Lute Village from being destroyed. And you're helping me find answers about where Gareth is. If that isn't a hero, I don't know what is."

Being put on such a high pedestal was bewildering to Naofumi. Not long ago, he was just some shut-in otaku who just wanted to play video games. Never did he imagine himself to be praised when so far, half of the world seemed to despise him for a crime he didn't commit.

He almost wanted to throw back Rowan's praise. Hero? He inwardly scoffed. What kind of hero is hated?

Still, the faces of the survivors of Lute Village and the grateful thanks he received from the villagers of Westbrook played in his mind.

In time, that may change with all the help he's doing. He just has to start from scratch. _'Everyone starts at the bottom all the time.'_ He thought.

Pessimistic he may be, but if Rowan can see the hero in him, maybe it isn't so bad to start believing again.

He stood. "So, you got the gist of the plan, right?"

"Yep," Rowan replied. "But wait, let me get something."

He scampered up the stairs and came back in less than thirty seconds. In his hands, he was holding a colorful spider. It stood out in the darkness, the colors reflecting from the moonlight. The legs were bright orange and the rest of the body was black with yellow vertical stripes running down its back.

"Here." He held out the spider.

Naofumi backed up. "What the hell is that?"

"You said you were going to speak with Legrand. If you can keep this spider on you, I can see and hear from her. You just have to let her be on you."

"I…" _'How the fuck can he say that with a straight face? Who the hell wants a spider on their body?!'_

"She won't bite. Don't worry," Rowan said. "Just keep her on your back when speaking to Legrand. If it's the size you're worried about, watch."

He held the spider in one hand and drew the orange sigil and the spider shrank until it was the size of a quarter. "That should work. Just keep her on the bedside table when you're sleeping and let her crawl on you when the plan begins."

Again, he held it out.

Naofumi suppressed a shudder and extended his arm. The spider crawled from Rowan's hand onto his fingers. _'God, this is uncomfortable!'_ Eight semi-pointy legs moving around in his hand made him shiver.

"Thanks." What else could he say?

"No problem," Rowan said nonchalantly like this was a regular occurrence.

"Anyway, I'm gonna head back now. Be sure you're able to listen around 9. That's when I'll try and get Legrand out of the inn."

"Understood."

Naofumi made his way to the door and took probably a few steps before Rowan called out to him.

"Um…"

Naofumi looked over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"T-thank you, again. For doing this. I mean it." He smiled then.

A sudden surge of hope flooded through him. He turned before Rowan could see the hint of tears pricking his eyes. "Sure."

With the door closed behind him, Naofumi released a shuddering breath. This was too much. The hope coursing through his body was too much to handle. Having too much hope and not living up to it could drive a person to despair.

So many people believed in him like he's their savior. And he kind of is.

'_They're going to be in for a disappointment when they realize I can't do everything.' _He thought bitterly.

Back at the inn, he made his way up the stairs until he was in front of his room. Pushing the door ever so slowly and quietly, he peered in and saw the girls were still sleeping. Perfect. He closed the door behind him and tip-toed to his bed.

Following Rowan's directions, he reached for the nightstand until his fingers touched the edge. The spider crawled down his arm until it was sitting next to his coin pouch.

'_Finally.'_ He pulled the sheet back, got into bed and nestled against the pillow.

The plan was going to start in roughly five hours. Four hours of sleep should be enough.

With that, he closed his eyes.

…

…

…

…

"Naofumi, if you're having trouble going to the bathroom, I have laxatives if you need some."

He shot up from his position. "You're awake?!"

Rachel moved a bit in her bed. "I mean, you were gone for a while. I figured you must have some digestive problems or something."

"But how did you know I was gone?" He went in and out as quietly as possible!

"No offense, Naofumi," Mina said, her back facing him, lying on her side. "Stealth isn't your strongest forte."

"No kidding," Rachel said. "I could hear you trying to be sneaky."

"If it were me, I could sneak out of here dancing. All while wearing my bangles and accessories."

An argument started to form in Naofumi's mind, but he was too damn tired to be dealing with them.

"Ugh!" He plopped back down.

* * *

"See, I told you he has a babyface."

"Hehe, he does look so peaceful. Like a sleeping baby."

"Told you. Who knew a legendary hero could have such a babyface?"

"Makes me want to poke his cheek."

The voices sounded distant, but when Naofumi shifted in his bed, more awake, they became clear.

Opening his eyes, he was greeted by Rachel and Mina looking at him from the foot of his bed.

"What the hell are you two doing?" He rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"Well," Rachel smiled coyly, "we were going to wake you up but you looked so cute sleeping. It was like watching a baby."

An insult was already forming in his mind, but he let it pass. "What time is it?"

"Eight," Mina answered. "We have only an hour before we're supposed to meet with Rowan. It would be best if you take a bath before we go."

Naofumi looked at the clock to confirm the time. 8:03. It then hit him. The plan!

"Actually," he stood and stretched. "There's been a change of plans."

He explained to them about his rendezvous with Rowan and the plan they formulated. The girls listened intently and nodded when he went over every detail.

"Well, what do you guys think? Is it doable?"

The girls were silent for a moment, mulling over the plan.

"It could." Rachel said. "It might be tricky to lace a sleeping tonic in the wolf's water bowl but if I can convince Legrand to let me give them water, it could work. I just have to make one quickly."

"Good. All that's left to do now is try and make him help us. Rowan said to stroke his ego."

Mina smiled. "Leave that to me." She winked playfully at Naofumi.

Naofumi looked over his shoulder to the nightstand. The spider sat still, observing them. "Think you can sneak in, Rowan?"

The spider lifted a leg and tapped twice.

"… does two taps mean yes?" Naofumi asked.

The spider tapped twice.

"OK." That was going to take some time getting used to. And he had to let it crawl on him when talking to Legrand. He shuddered at the thought.

"Alright." He reached for his bed and grabbed his clothes. "I'm gonna take a bath. Get the sleeping tonic ready before we go, Rachel."

She gave him a thumbs up.

When he left the room, Rachel took out various tools and herbs and liquids from her satchel.

"This shouldn't take long. Five minutes at best." She worked fast, grabbing a vial of clear liquid and another one with a light purple liquid. She mixed them in a small bowl and poured it in a small test tube. "There. All done."

"Will that work?" Mina asked, leaning in close to look at the tube.

"It should. Normally I use this for patients who have trouble sleeping through pain but it should work on animals. I'm not a vet, but if this can knock out a fully-grown man, it should do the same for the wolves." She tucked the tube in a side pocket of her satchel.

"Now all we have to do is wait." Mina moved to the center of the room, stretched her arms and legs, and began her dancing. "Do you think the plan will work?"

"Hard to say," Rachel replied. She leaned back in her chair and watched Mina dance. "If Rowan does find something suspicious about Legrand, it means we're dealing with another enemy. It's bad enough the knights, the King, and the Church hate him, now we'll have to add another person to that list."

"It won't be easy for him, will it?" Mina rolled her stomach and swayed her arms. "Does he know about the Church of the Three Heroes?"

"I…" Rachel's eyes widened slightly. "Shit! I knew I forgot to tell him something about that. And here I am chastising him for never asking questions."

"I'm sure he would've found out eventually had we not join him. I'm more worried about them than Legrand and the King. I'm just thankful their influence is not strong enough to sway the people to reject him as a hero."

"You got that right. I'll tell him about the Church after we deal with Legrand." Rachel let out a chuckle.

Mina stopped midway through her dance. "What is it?"

"Nothing. It's just… I never thought I'd be tangled in a conspiracy about the captain of the royal knights. Not that long ago I was just an ordinary apothecary and here I am traveling with a Cardinal Hero. Some life I'm living, huh?"

"Stranger things have happened," Mina replied. She continued her dance. "I'm only with Naofumi in the hopes of finding my parents. Should things start to pop up, I'd be willing to assist him for letting me join him. And if that includes exposing Legrand, then so be it. And for Rowan, of course."

"Kind of makes you wonder about that."

"Rowan?"

"Yeah. After we saved most of the people from Lute Village, Naofumi was more broody than usual. We couldn't save everyone and he felt guilty about it. He never told me, but I could see it in his posture, especially when the village lord thanked him and called him a hero."

Rachel could remember vividly seeing Naofumi shaking slightly when he saw the fresh graves. She was tending to a person who had minor burns on their arms and stole a few glances at Naofumi. He wasn't crying, but when she heard a small child crying for their father, she did see him tremble a bit.

She wanted to go over there and comfort him but there were too many people with injuries that needed tending. When she did get to comfort him, she was straight to the point. Hero or not, he couldn't save everyone. That was the truth.

And she knew that more than anyone.

'_Not even _I _can save everyone." _She thought glumly. Her satchel was filled with various tonics and salves that can help people. Even save them. But not all the time.

She sighs. "Anyway, I just hope this plan of his will work. If it does, not only will we know what happened to Rowan's master, Naofumi will start to feel good about himself. I worry about him sometimes."

"So do I." Mina spun, bowed, and sat on her bed. "I may not know him as well as you do, but first impressions leave an impact. That scene at the palace, he was so angry and filled with contempt. I felt sorry for him."

"You didn't believe in the rumors about him and the princess?"

"No. Not to say I'm dismissing anyone who comes forward if they're raped. When you're with a troupe such as mine, you travel from city to village to city. You're bound to hear rumors. And just so happens the rumors about Malty being… a bitch is true."

"Heh, nice one."

Two minutes later, Rachel held a small test tube filled with a clear liquid. "Perfect. This will knock 'em out for sure."

When she put the vial in her satchel, Naofumi entered, fresh from his bath and dressed in his armor.

He looked between the two. "Ready?"

They nodded.

"Good." He went over to the nightstand and let the spider crawl on his arm. It rested underneath the back of his leather vest. "Let's do this."

Downstairs, the three ordered breakfast and sat at a table with a perfect view of the stairs. Naofumi shoved the food in his mouth, not caring what it tasted like. Honestly, how could anyone eat at a time like this? Thoughts of the mission going south raced around in his mind. One wrong move on either part of them and they could be facing real trouble.

'_And Rowan won't be able to find Gareth.'_ Naofumi thought.

No. He mentally shook the thought. He _will_ complete this mission. He owes it to Rowan.

He let out a small chuckle, barely audible. In reality, he really doesn't owe Rowan anything. Why should he? This wasn't his problem.

But if he can help people like those in Lute Village, then he can try to help others. Not every mission will end successfully. Even if there is a partial success, he would try and help.

_You are a hero._ Rowan's words were filled with conviction.

'_I am a hero.'_

Beside him, Rachel nudged him with her elbow. She pointed to the stairs and Legrand was coming down. He was not dressed in his armor. In fact, it looked like he just woke up not that long ago. He talked to the man behind the bar counter and sat at a table.

Naofumi pushed his plate aside and stood. _'Now or never.'_

"Legrand." He called out to the man.

Legrand looked up and waved. "Hello, Naofumi. Care to join me?" He gestured to the other side of the table.

"No thanks. We just had breakfast." He could hear the girls come up from behind. "Actually, I was hoping to ask you a favor."

"A favor?" Legrand raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Naofumi explained the situation at Lute Village all while Legrand sat patiently. "So, I was wondering if you could help us get a silver moose."

He made sure to sound assertive and not show any nervousness. This was harder than he thought it would be. And he was just talking to the man, not exchanging blows.

"Why not ask Rowan?" Legrand asked. "I may not be an expert hunter like him, but he's far better at hunting silver moose."

"Unfortunately," Mina said, "Rowan was called out to a hunt earlier and can not help us. But I have heard of your exploits, Legrand. A man such as yourself is more than capable of not only fighting monsters but also hunting them as well."

"Yeah." Rachel said. "With you helping us, we'll get that silver moose in no time."

Naofumi could see the gears turning in Legrand's head. Just a little more and he'll have him wrapped around his finger.

"In fact," Naofumi leaned a little closer. "If I end up winning the race, I can tell the people of Lute Village that you helped us. They'll owe you big time for helping us save their village."

'_Please work. Please work. Please work. Please work.'_

"Hmmm…" Legrand kept his gaze straight on Naofumi.

Naofumi returned the gaze. Starting directly into his eyes, he could understand what Rowan meant when looking into someone's eyes.

Legrand's eyes were blue. A clear blue like the sky. Calming and pleasant. Though he could also see them as the color of ice. Cold, sharp, enough to send someone shivering.

"I'm sorry," Legrand said, "but I'm afraid I can't help you with your endeavor. I apologize, but I have a busy day ahead of me."

'_Of course," _Naofumi thought bitterly. '_He's a freaking captain. He's always going to be busy with something. But there has to be a way to convince him. Think!'_

That's when it came to him.

"You know, I heard that you're a great hunter of monsters." This may be putting it on thick, but what other choice was there? "You've hunted monsters yourself. You're probably better than Gareth."

'_Sorry, Rowan! And Gareth… even if I never met you.'_

Naofumi knew he was probably insulting a man's pride by saying he's not the best hunter in all the land. Though from the way Rowan described him when they were at his home, Gareth sounded like a man who would let any mean comment pass by and continue on. If he does help Rowan find him, he'd like to get to know him a bit.

That was for another time.

Throwing the comment was a gamble. It could go either good in their favor or south real fast. What else was there to goad the man with?

Luckily, that seemed to work.

"Well, not to toot my own horn." Legrand adjusted himself, sitting up straight looking more dignified. "I do help the Queen hunt monsters while protecting the citizens." He sounded prideful. The kind of pride that said, "I'm better than you."

'_Guess his true colors have shown.'_

"Yeah," Naofumi continued. "Which is why we need your help. It shouldn't take that long. Your wolves will make this easier for us."

He hadn't thought of Legrand's wolves at first. But if Rowan cared for his spiders, it must be the same with Legrand.

"When you put it like that," Legrand said. "Then yes, I guess I can help. Anything for the Shield Hero."

It took a lot of inner strength for Naofumi to not roll his eyes.

"Let me just eat my breakfast first. Can't go hunting on an empty stomach, right?" He laughed.

Rachel and Mina played along, laughing with him.

"Oh!" Rachel stepped forward. "What about your wolves? I saw them with you yesterday. Are they all going to help?"

Legrand shook his head. "We only need two wolves to get the silver moose. And there's plenty of wolves in the forest if we need more. And besides, some of them are resting upstairs. They're tired from all the traveling and fighting we did. Two are outside, ready to go."

"Those poor wolves," Rachel solemnly said. She's a pretty good actress when needed. "If it's not too much trouble, can I go give them some water?"

Naofumi wanted to hug her right there. That's how she's going to slip in the sleeping tonic.

'_Nice work.'_

Legrand beamed. "Sure! Awfully nice of you to do so." He called over a waiter and asked for a large bowl with water. When the bowl came, Rachel took it.

"What room are you staying in?"

"The second floor, third door to the right. The door should be unlocked. And don't worry about my wolves. I trained them not to attack unless they feel threatened."

"Thanks!"

She turned and gave Naofumi a wink and disappeared upstairs.

"Then I guess we better not get in the way of your breakfast, Legrand." Mina tugged Naofumi's sleeve. "Let's wait outside."

Outside the inn, the village was starting to come to life. A group of children procced to walk in the direction of what looked like to be a school. A farmer was ushering pigs. An old woman with two small children trailing behind her holds an empty basket that will be filled with fruit and vegetables no doubt.

Mundane tasks carried out by people unaware of what might happen. Was that how everyone lived here in this world? Naofumi cast his gaze up at the sky. Cloudy. It all could change in an instant and turn into a kaleidoscope of red and purple.

'_Waves and now this.'_ It sounded bitter in his mind even if he didn't mean it. He's doing this on his own volition. He wasn't obligated to help Rowan. But if there is something wrong with Legrand and Gareth's life is on the line, he would help.

It's what a hero would do.

The door opened and Rachel stepped out. "Worked like a charm." She smiled.

"That easy?"

"Yep. I poured in the tonic with the water outside Legrand's room and gave it to the wolves. Shouldn't be long before they fall asleep."

"All that's left is for Rowan to look for evidence," Mina said. "I'll admit, this plan does make me slightly nervous."

"No kidding." Naofumi put his hands behind his head. "Anything could go wrong."

Thinking about it wasn't going to make things better.

Several minutes later, the door opened and Legrand was dressed in leather armor and dark pants with shin guards.

"All set?" He asked the trio.

"Lead the way." Naofumi gestured to the village entrance.

When they reached the entrance, two wolves lazing by the gate stood and flanked Legrand.

Naofumi looked over his shoulder back at the village.

'_Good luck, Rowan.'_

* * *

The spider sill attached to Naofumi alerted him of their leaving the village. Rowan waited a few minutes before leaving his house.

Each step to the inn felt like wading through quicksand. The answer to Gareth's whereabouts could be in that room and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what happened. The unknown of it all shook him to his core.

If something did happen to Gareth, if the man was dead or trapped somewhere waiting for help, Rowan was not sure how he would deal with Legrand. He would be angry, yes. Hate the man? Maybe.

Maybe this was how Naofumi felt. Rowan only heard rumors of what transpired at Castle Town. During Gareth's absence, Rowan continued his hunting and each village or city he arrived in, whispers of the Shield Hero could be heard.

Of course, he didn't believe any of it.

Last year, Gareth had taken him to Castle Town during a hunt and they stayed in the city. It was the Queen's birthday and a parade was being thrown in honor. Their hunt had ended and decided to stay for the parade.

"Who are we to pass up free food?" Gareth laughed and handed Rowan a skewer with meatballs.

Rowan chuckled and took the food. Whether it be food, booze, bows, or felines, Gareth's whole demeanor was that of an excited kid even if he was in his early 50s. Nothing seemed to have made him angry.

They stood adjacent to the main road along with the other citizens. Cheers erupted when the Queen and King arrived. Their carriage was an open one and they waved at the crowd. Trailing behind them in another open carriage was princess Malty. It was hard not to miss the red hair.

She waved too at the crowd and when Rowan got a good glimpse at her, that's when he saw it.

In the princess's emerald green eyes, he saw boredom. Contempt. Annoyance. Her smile betrayed hid her true emotions. Dressed elegantly in a purple dress, she was the epitome of royalty. It was her eyes that betrayed her.

Since then, Rowan had always had a strange feeling about the princess. This feeling grew strong when he began to hear rumors of the princess. Her beauty could not hide her rotten core.

When Naofumi was accused, Rowan knew it was nothing more than a false accusation by the princess. If he was there in the same room as them, he could probably see Malty's lie written in her eyes.

Anyone would be angry at her if they were accused by her. Who would they believe? A princess or some random guy from a different world?

Their predicaments may be different, but Rowan had his own Malty in the form of Legrand.

What he would do with Legrand if he is involved in Gareth's prolonged absence, that was for a different time. First, he needed to look through his belongings.

The inn came into view and Rowan inhaled and exhaled.

"Remember," Gareth's words rang in his head. "Always take a deep breath before a hunt. Breathe in all the tension and let it out of your body."

'_Here we go.'_

He pushed open the door and made a bee-line to the stairs. The lobby and dining area as fairly empty and no one was behind the counter, making it easy to not be noticed.

'_Second floor, third door on the right.'_

In front of the door, Rowan pressed his ear against it, listening for any sound of movement. There was a chance not all the wolves drank the water and one could still be awake.

When no noise could be heard, Rowan slowly turned the knob and opened it. It was careless of Legrand to leave it unlocked. But he did have wolves guarding his stuff. A burglar wouldn't make it one step in before wolves had him pinned to the ground.

The more he pushed open the door, Rowan could hear the faint sounds of even breathing.

Once the door was wide open, Rowan was greeted by four wolves sleeping. In the center of the room was a large bowl with some water still left in it.

So far, so good.

Closing the door, Rowan looked around for anything of noteworthy. The bed was made and had chainmail armor splayed out on it. On a desk were two swords and a cloth. Beside the bed was a large satchel.

Careful to step around the sleeping wolves, Rowan sat on the bed and pulled up the satchel. Opening it, there were various things inside. He guessed it would take a few minutes to go through it. Not wanting to take any chances on the sleeping tonic wearing off, he took the bag outside of the room.

He moved stuff around the bag. If he were to find any type of evidence, it would have to be a journal meant. The time he saw Legrand in the village after killing the frog monster clan, he saw Legrand jot something in a journal. He guessed it was a traveling log of some kind.

Rowan had to remove some of the different things before he saw it. Near the bottom was a brown leather-bound book.

The mere sight of it made his breath hitch. This journal held his long-awaited answer. That answer could either bring his hopes up or plunge him into despair.

He flipped through it, looking at the date of each entry. He skimmed halfway until he reached the date when Gareth was given the official order.

He took in each and every single black ink word. When he got to the end, the journal nearly fell from his grip.

A surge of anger took over him. Beneath his shawl, the spiders moved about. They were reacting to his emotions.

Rowan stood, opened the door and tossed in the satchel and bolted out of the inn.

Heart pounding, he ran until he was at the village entrance.

He knew where they would be hunting the silver moose.

Journal in hand, he ran.

* * *

**So I get two frequnetly asked questions a lot and even if I have to repeat myself later down the line when more chapters of Kingdom are posted, I'll still answer them.**

**Question 1) Is Naofumi going to be OP?  
No. Going into Kindom, I wanted there to be situations where people and monsters are significantly powerful than Naofumi even if he has a legendary weapon. A Cardinal Hero he may be, but he is not invincible. Take for example, Rowan. He can control spiders. Some spiders have deadly venom. And in the world of Shield Hero, there's bound to be magical spiders that can cause even more damage. If there was a fight between the two, Rowan might win. Naofumi will gain new abilities and powers, but he is still human and is not invincible. He will come across more dangerous people and monsters when he recruits more party members.**

**Question 2) Are Raphtalia and Filo going to make an appearance?  
Yes. Remember in an earlier chapter where Naofumi was looking around the slave trader's tend and saw an empty cage among others that were filled. You can probably guess who was supposed to be there. They will make an appearance later on and will play important roles. Their roles are not written out. I had this in mind when the story started to form in my mind.**

**I hope that answers your questions!**


	20. Chapter 19

Naofumi never felt more awkward in his life. Here he was in the middle of the forest, the same place he was in yesterday with Rowan, and with a possible enemy kneeling beside him.

The four of them were hiding behind the same log from yesterday and kept a close watch on the river. Legrand had ordered his two wolves to hide in underbrush. That had been twenty minutes ago and the more time passed, the more Naofumi wished he was out of here.

He had to put his faith in Rowan finding any evidence of Gareth's disappearance in Legrand's belongings. It shouldn't be that long.

For now, he had to wait.

He looked to his left where Rachel was. She was sitting back against the log and when she caught Naofumi's gaze, she shrugged. He then turned to Mina who was on Legrand's left side. She too was sitting against the log and when her eyes met Naofumi's she shrugged as well.

Even they were unsure how to deal with the situation. If Rowan did find something, how would they approach Legrand? Hero he may be, but Naofumi wasn't an enforcer of the law. That was beyond his jurisdiction.

'_Ok, maybe this wasn't the best thought out idea I ever had.'_ He thought bitterly. That's what he gets for coming up with an idea at 4 in the morning.

He remembers seeing the determination in Rowan's eyes when he discussed the plan with him. If he failed this mission, he'll fail Rowan.

Rowan, who thought of him as a hero.

It was time to do his part.

"Say, Legrand," Naofumi says. "While we're waiting, care to tell us a little about yourself?"

Again, a plan that isn't thought through, but if he could get as much information from Legrand, then it could help Rowan.

Legrand seemed surprised by his words. "You want to know about me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. You are helping us and you did save me and Rachel from those bandits. I've been curious about you."

He could feel Rachel and Mina staring at him with curiosity.

He continues on. "You're the captain of the knights, right?"

"Yes," Legrand replies. "I rank high amongst the knights. I was granted knighthood by the previous captain. I was only a squire, but I did fight alongside them. He saw my potential and asked me to join his ranks."

"How'd you become the captain?"

Legrand chuckles. "Took a lot of years of fighting monsters and insurrectionists, but when the captain was on his deathbed, he appointed me as the captain. And here I am now."

Naofumi may not know a lot about knighthood but he knew Legrand betrayed some kind of code of honor if he made Gareth disappear.

Speaking of…

"Rowan told us you know Gareth. What was he like?"

"Gareth…" Legrand paused. "He's… not what you think. The man is a boisterous, easy-going, happy-go-lucky person. Not a single gray cloud could ever rain on his parade. He's a pretty damn good hunter despite his personality."

"How do you know him?" Mina asks.

"Well, a few years ago there were lots of leftover wave monsters roaming the countryside and the queen asked us to hunt them down. Though none of us were skilled hunters, she hired Gareth to assist us. That and he taught us the basic lessons in hunting."

Naofumi considered asking more about Gareth. Now that he knows how the two are acquainted, it should be easy to ask about where the man is.

Unless Legrand starts to get suspicious if he's pressed on about Gareth. Then he would trust him less. And if that were to happen, then they can kiss any information about Gareth good-bye.

This was getting harder and harder by the second. He was this far in, there's no going back until he has some kind of answer.

Legrand shot up. "Something's coming."

Naofumi didn't have time to react before something came running through the trees.

"Rowan?" Legrand held his hand in the air, halting the wolves who came out of the underbrush.

Rowan was panting hard. He had his hands on his knees, taking in deep breaths.

'_Did he run here all the way from the village?' _Naofumi thought.

Rachel stood. "Did he…" She looked to Naofumi for confirmation.

"Maybe, otherwise he wouldn't be here."

"What's going on?" Legrand stepped around the log. His two wolves flanked his sides.

Rowan took in more breaths before standing straight.

He looked straight at Legrand. "You." He looked angry. Something Naofumi has never seen on Rowan's face. Shy, awkward Rowan was one thing. An angry Rowan was something else.

That was when Naofumi noticed he was clutching something in his right hand.

Legrand didn't get a word out before Rowan spoke. "It was you. You made Gareth disappear!"

The captain's eyes widened. "What are you-"

Rowan held up what he was holding. A journal.

"Where did you get that?" Legrand all but shouted.

"I had some help," Rowan replied.

Legrand turned to glare at Rachel who just smiled coyly at him.

"Guess he was right all along," she says.

"It seems so," Mina says.

Naofumi went to stand by Rowan. "What did you find?"

Rowan opened the journal and stopped at a page. "It's written right here. 'He's finally gone. I don't have to worry about him anymore.' This was written a day after he gave Gareth the order."

Naofumi looked back at the captain. When he first met the man, he thought he could trust him. Now, all that trust is gone. It was sad really. He could hardly trust anyone here. Was this country so corrupt to the point where almost everyone was untrustworthy? Maybe so.

Time was still for a moment. No one moved or spoke.

Then, Legrand's face shifted. His brows furrowed in anger, his fists clenched tightly, and his eyes turned cold.

"I was right about you," Rowan says. "I knew you had something to do with it. Gareth liked you! He said you trained hard and taught you everything about hunting. Why would you do this to him?"

Naofumi could hear the pained desperation in Rowan's voice. He wanted answers, even if he wasn't going to like what Legrand had to say.

In some way, he could relate to that need. The need to know why. Why he was betrayed by Malty. Why half of the people seemed to hate him for no reason.

"I had my reasons," Legrand says through clenched teeth.

"That's all?" Rachel asks. "It's written here in what you did and that's all you have to say?"

"I don't need to explain myself to either of you."

"That is where you are wrong," Mina says. "You not only got rid of Rowan's master, but you're also withholding information about that. Does it not occur to you that something could've happened to Gareth?"

"Like I care," Legrand scoffs. His glare intensified. "So what? What are you going to do now?"

This time it was Naofumi's turn to scoff. "Turn you in, obviously. We have evidence right here."

Legrand laughed. "You mean that little sentence? That's nothing! Maybe I'm referring to a bandit who was causing trouble. Or hell, maybe I'm referring to a member of the Black Foxes. You have nothing against me. None of you do."

"That's not true!" Rowan stepped forward until he was a good two feet away from Legrand. "Gareth has been gone for two months and hasn't sent a single letter. I doubt anyone knows where he is. And your journal entry was right around the time he left. Nothing is stopping me from going to Faubley and presenting your journal as evidence to the queen!"

'_The queen isn't even here?" _Naofumi thought. What kind of ruler isn't in their country especially in times in need? She better have a good excuse for not being here.

"Ha! Like that'll help you at all!" Legrand smiled and it was a smile of madness. "Then I'll just have to get rid of you too."

He whistles loud enough to startle birds in the trees, making them fly away.

The two wolves by his side growled and advanced. Rowan jumped back and had his bow and arrow ready.

"Chane shield!" Naofumi turned his shield into the Crystal Shield. Rachel and Mina had their weapons ready as well.

Around them, the forest was quiet.

Then a how ran out. Followed by more.

Wolves emerged from the trees. Grey wolves, black wolves, brown wolves, wolves that glowed green with magic, they came in from everywhere.

"This may be your home, Rowan, but it's home to my wolves as well." Legrand reached out and patted a wolf on its head.

He looked to Naofumi. "It's a shame you have to get involved here, Shield Hero. I never did believe what the Pope said about you, but you're just as meddlesome as Rowan. This'll just be collateral damage."

Naofumi could only hold in his rage as the crystal spikes on his shield sharpened.

Rowan, who did not falter from fear of the wolves, smiled. "The woods aren't the only home to wolves."

A pained cry rang out. Legrand shook from the cry and turned his head to the sound. Naofumi did the same and by the river, a wolf was buckled down to its kneed while a giant spider sank its fangs onto its back. It pulled back, ripping away the flesh from the wolf.

The wolves surrounding the injured wolf were ready to pounce but were stopped by rustling coming from the bushes.

Spiders of all kinds of species and sizes emerged. Naofumi turned back to Rowan and saw several spiders crawling out of his shawl and onto the ground. They glowed orange and began to grow as did the other spiders.

Soon, they were surrounded by a sea of wolves and spiders.

Rowan turned his attention to Naofumi. "I'm sorry you got involved in his," he said remorsefully.

To his surprise, Naofumi shook his head. "It's fine. I said I was going to help you find answers. And if I have to fight this son of a bitch and his wolves, I will."

His words shook Rowan to his core. Out of habit, he looked into Naofumi's eyes and there he saw determination, anger, and sympathy.

'_I was right,'_ he thought. _'You are a hero.'_

"Thank you."

"You'll pay for hurting my wolf," Legrand growled.

Naofumi, Rowan, Rachel, and Mina huddled closer.

"Kill them!"

"My spiders! Attack!"

In a split second, the forest erupted in battle.

* * *

The first wolf attempted to pounce on Naofumi. He intercepted with his Crystal Shield. The sound of spikes digging into flesh and the wolf's cry of pain was too much to bear. He shuddered when he pushed the wolf away who was lying on the forest floor bleeding. He didn't have a chance to recuperate before another wolf pounced on him.

He side-stepped and bashed his shield against the wolf's side. This time, the sound of flesh being torn and the wolf's cry didn't bother him. It was either them or him. And he was not going to die in some goddamn forest.

To his left, Rachel was holding off two wolves. She shot a fire spell at one of them, singeing its fur and skin. She barely had just enough time to jump back when a wolf attempted to bite her leg. The wolf was met with an ax to its neck.

"You ok?" Naofumi asked as another wolf pounced on him. This time he changed the shield to the Two Dog Head Shield. The dogs extended themselves to the nearest wolves and bit down on their necks.

"Peachy!" Rachel shot another fireball at a group of wolves. All but one jumped out of the way. The lone wolf that got hit by the fireball was writhing on the ground in pain.

"There's too many of them! Do you have any plans?"

"Just kill the fuckers, that's my plan!"

Not the most well thought out plan, but she was right. There couldn't be that many wolves in the forest compared to Rowan's spiders.

Speaking of which….

When no wolves came at him, he took the time to look past Legrand – who was standing by the river shouting orders – at the carnage of spiders and wolves.

Spiders have surrounded many of them while some jumped onto their backs and bit into them. There were all kinds of spiders. Some Naofumi knew from home and others that were obviously from here.

One spider, in particular, had a round, bulbous abdomen with swirls of purple and green. Instead of biting or webbing the wolves, the spider raised its abdomen and a green sigil materialized in front of it. A gush of wind blew away many of the wolves back, giving the other spiders the chance to attack them.

'_Makes sense there are magical spiders too." _Naofumi thought.

If there are magical spiders, then…

He remembered the glowing green wolves from earlier. He spun around and he spotted them.

Two were dead on the ground, their insides spilling as spiders surrounded their bodies.

'_Where's the other-'_

_**AROOOOOO!**_

A shockwave hit him hard. His ears rang like alarm bells and he covered them to no avail. The howl could still be heard through his hands. He gritted his teeth to the point where he thought they would crack from the pressure.

Finally, the howling stopped but he was still dazed from it. The world spun momentarily before he regained his balance.

He looked to his companions. Rachel, Mina, and Rowan were holding off as many wolves as they could. If they weren't affected by the howl, then he was the intended target. Where ever the wolf is, it needed to be taken out.

Now.

"Ah!"

Mina's shriek pulled him away from his search of the magic wolf.

She was on the ground, a wolf standing over her. The blade of her daggers shone in the grass far away from her.

Mina pushed away from the wolf and rolled away when a second one tried to go in for the kill. She was on her feet instantly and had her fan out.

Even without her daggers, she still had her fan.

Opening the fan, Mina spun on her toes and brought her fan up in a quick motion. Ice ascended from the ground, piercing and tossing the wolves aside. She retrieved her daggers and not a moment sooner when a wolf snuck up behind her and jumped. She ducked down and thrust one of her daggers into the wolf's belly.

"Never sneak up on a dancer," she said as the wolf fell hard to the ground.

'_Good," _Naofumi thought hastily. _'They're holding their own. That leaves…'_

An arrow whizzed by and pierced a wolf in the side followed by another after.

Rowan was shooting arrows in rapid succession. Naofumi knew he had to focus on the wolves, but he couldn't help but be astonished at Rowan's skills.

The hunter walked back slowly while nocking arrows and releasing them as wolves moved in on him. One by one they fell. The last one avoided an arrow and ran at Rowan.

It was coming in fast. Rowan wouldn't have time to avoid it.

Then, to his amazement, Rowan crouched and jumped in the air. The wolf's paws hit the spot where Rowan had been and looked up.

Rowan had done a back-flip mid-air and had an arrow ready. He released the arrow and it landed right between the wolf's eyes. He landed gracefully on the ground reached into his quiver for more arrows.

'_Woah…'_ Naofumi felt like he was staring at a completely different person. The Rowan he met was shy, timid, bashful, and blushed easily. Now he was fierce, raw, brave.

A fearsome hunter.

From the corner of his eyes, Naofumi saw something glimmering. It was the final magic wolf.

It stood perched on a rock. It took in a breath and Naofumi knew what was coming.

"Rowan!"

The hunter turned and saw the wolf. He wasted no time killing the wolf.

'_Good,'_ Naofumi thought. '_That takes care of those.'_

"Kill them! Go for their necks!" Legrand's voice carried over to all the wolves. Hearing their commander's voice urged them on. They came at them with feral strength and speed.

The four huddled close together, their backs facing each other as they killed the oncoming army of wolves.

"Go!" Rowan shouted. "Take them down!"

Spiders of all kinds pillaged their way through the wolves. Tearing them apart with their fangs and legs. Some even hurled magic at them.

"Never thought I'd be saying this but I'm glad spiders exist," Rachel says.

"They're making this easier for us." Mina waved her fan, launching shards of ice at the wolves.

The number of wolves started dwindling. Spiders were also killed as well but when one fell, another appeared from the forest growing from Rowan's growth spell.

Naofumi saw Legrand's face contort with pure rage. He bared his teeth.

'_Just like a wolf…'_

He is the leader of the pack. More and more wolves would swarm them if they don't take him out.

"I've got a plan."

His companions turned and gave him a questioning look.

"Mina, Rachel, distract the wolves. I'm going after Legrand. Rowan, take down any wolf that comes after me. Got it?"

The three nodded.

"Good. Now!"

He dashed forward whilst Mina and Rachel increased their usage of ice and fire magic. The wolves yelped and scattered, leaving a clear-cut path to Legrand.

The Captain yelled at the top of his lungs for his wolves to kill him. Naofumi had never seen someone look so feral. Legrand was more beast than human at this point.

A wolf tried to bite his calf but was taken down by Rowan.

'_Just a little closer.'_

The closer he got to Legrand, the more confident he was about his plan.

He skidded to a stop and had his changed his shield.

"What the-" Legrand's shock was all it took for Naofumi to go in.

"Air Strike Shield!"

The large green shield materialized and thrust at Legrand, striking him square in the stomach.

It launched him several feet back, tumbling to the ground.

"Shield Prison!"

Green shields encapsulated Legrand into a ball, shutting him off completely from his wolves.

The wolves sensed this and they all halted.

Many of them whimpered and looked back and forth between the prison and Naofumi and his party members.

From the inside of the prison, Naofumi could hear Legrand gasp for air.

"Spiders!" Rowan shouted. "Kill them!"

The horde of spiders descended on the confused wolves. Several of them took notice of their losing battle and ran off into the woods. The remaining few put up a fight but were killed in seconds.

The fresh tang of blood made Naofumi nauseous. This was too much. Blood in video games didn't compare to actual blood. The metallic smell and taste of it were overwhelming.

This was a blood bath.

Soon, the last of the wolves were killed.

Naofumi released Legrand from his prison and the captain collapsed to his knees. He was still breathing heavily, grasping at his stomach.

"You.." he managed to get out.

"Don't even try." Naofumi's shield change to the Two Dog Head Shield. The dogs growled, inching from the shield stopping just short of Legrand's face.

Behind him, Rowan came forward, glaring down at Legrand.

"It's over," he declared.

Legrand met his glare with one of his own but it faltered into a defeated face.

"Now," Rowan retrieved the journal from his pocket. "I want answers."

"As do I."

The voice surprised them all.

"What the?" Rachel spun around, looking for the source.

Their answer came in the sudden appearance of a masked woman who came around a large boulder next to the river.

Naofumi recognized the mask.

"You're…"

"Apologies for not properly introducing myself from a few days ago," the woman bowed. "I am one of the Queen's Shadows. I along with my comrades was the ones who halted Princess' Malty's tax poll on Lute Village. Forgive my late arrival."

The shadow held herself in strict formality, her posture perfect and voice smooth as silk yet having a commanding tone. Naofumi noticed the shadow had a leg strap similar to Mina's. It held three obsidian daggers.

She wasn't just some trained guard for the queen.

Naofumi took note of this.

"Did you follow us?"

"Not at first, no." The shadow responded. "Originally I was supposed to be waiting at Lute Village to keep an eye on the princess. However, one of my comrades who is stationed at Haven Clove informed me via falcon mail that Legrand was in the village."

Rowan had a look of shock on his face. "Wait. One of you lives in Haven Clove."

"There are shadows scattered all over Melromarc," the shadow responded. "You may have even talked with them without knowing."

Naofumi found it unsettling that a secret task force had many operatives in different areas. Not to mention they belonged to a queen he knows absolutely nothing about. We're the friend or foe?

Friend, maybe. They did stop Malty before she could harm anyone in Lute Village.

'_Too many secrets.' _Naofumi thought bitterly. His companions were right. He needed to start asking more questions. Otherwise, he'll never survive here.

"Then you knew about Legrand?" Naofumi asked.

"We had our suspicion," the shadow replied.

"What do you know?" The urgency was palpable in Rowan's voice.

The shadow looked down at Legrand who was trying to push himself up. "Gareth is a well-known hunter throughout the entire continent. My comrade was there when Legrand came to Haven Clove and presented the order to Gareth. We keep close tabs on the king when the queen is away and not once did any of the other shadows hear the king give an order to Legrand regarding Gareth."

"Then Legrand forged a royal decree," Mina stated.

"Correct. Royal decrees made by either queen or king do not go unnoticed. Legrand knew of this but still forged one." The shadow kneeled down and pulled up Legrand's chin until they were facing eye to eye. "How bold of you to assume we don't keep an eye out on everyone."

Legrand could do nothing but stare helplessly back at the shadow.

The shadow let go of Legrand's chin and stood. "We did not confront him at first, as we believed Gareth would return from whatever hunt he was on. But Gareth's prolonged absence was enough for us to start investigating. However, word got around about Malty's plan for Lute Village and we had to prioritize that above all else. When my comrade informed me of Legrand's arrival at Have Clove, I knew I had to act fast and prove our suspicion of him. And it seemed we were right all along."

The shadow reached out her hand to Rowan. "May I see the journal?"

Rowan clutched the journal tightly before relenting and giving it to the shadow. She flipped through the pages before stopping. She knelt back down in front of Legrand and held the journal in front of him.

"Does this passage ring a bell?"

"…Yes." Legrand muttered.

"Then you know what this means for you?"

"…Yes."

The shadow stood, tucked the journal inside her cloak and grabbed Legrand by his arms and lifted him up.

Naofumi balked at the shadow's strength. She was a good foot and a half shorter than him!

"There's still the big question," the shadow said. "What did you make Gareth hunt."

Legrand did not answer. He merely looked at the ground.

This set off Naofumi. "Tell us!"

No luck. Legrand still looked at the ground.

"Please." Rowan pleaded. "Legrand, I don't know why you did this, but please. Gareth is important to me. I need to know. Please."

…

The silence was thick enough to be cut with a butter knife.

Finally, Legrand took in a breath and spoke.

"Hrym. I ordered him to hunt Hrym."

Mina let out a small gasp.

"You're kidding." Rachel looked appalled.

Rowan's eyes widened. His mouth hung open. Naofumi held still. Based on their reaction, this 'Hrym' was not a good thing.

"You what?!" Rowan trembled. "You… You…"

Legrand closed his eyes. "Yes. I did."

Rowan collapsed to his knees. "No," he said. "No. This can't be happening!"

A sudden rush of sympathy hit Naofumi. Whether it be from the sound of anguish coming from Rowan or the need to comfort him when he needed comfort himself after Malty's betrayal, he didn't know.

All he could do was place a hand on the hunter's shoulder. Rowan trembled underneath his hand.

"Legrand." The shadow adjusted her grip on his wrists. "You are to come with me to the capital to undergo a hearing from the High Council. A letter will be sent to the queen of your transgression. She will deliver your punishment. As of now, you are no longer captain of the Royal Knights."

Legrand didn't say anything. His hair was disheveled, his shoulders were slumped, and his blue eyes dimmed.

He was defeated.

The shadow started to lead him to the trees when Rowan stood.

"Wait!"

The shadow and Legrand stopped.

"Legrand." He came up to the former captain. "Please… tell me why you did it. Why? Gareth said nothing but great things about you! You were one of his pupils. I deserve the right to know."

Naofumi waited in anticipation. He wanted to know what would lead a man to essentially make another one disappear. He'd seen these kinds of things on the news about criminals who went out of their way to kill someone.

"Because…" Legrand looked to the side. "Because I couldn't be better than him."

"…what?" Rowan asked.

"When he first came to train the knights," Legrand explained, "I was mesmerized by how great of a hunter he was. He never showed fear when he would take us out on hunts. No matter how big the monster was, he and his cats were brave. I wanted to be like him. It was why I had become a knight in the first place. To protect my home and the people. To be a hero."

He let out a strained chuckle. "But I was no good. Every time I tried to defeat a monster I end up on the losing end. And Gareth would be the one to finish it. It happened over and over again. I even heard the other knights whispering about me. That I'm weak. That I'm no good. They kept praising Gareth while I was at the bottom! Even after he left, I could still hear the ridicule from the other knights.

"So, I trained. I busted my ass off until I got promoted to Captain. But that wasn't enough. I never forgot the humiliation. I wanted Gareth gone."

"You monster," Naofumi growled. "That's why you got rid of him? Jealousy? God, you knights and everyone one back at the capital are nothing but weak lowlifes!"

Legrand flinched at his words. "I-I'm not weak."

"Sure don't sound like it." Where was this anger coming from? Naofumi wasn't sure who he was angry for. Angry at Legrand for acting like a knight in shining armor only to be a despicable man? Angry for Rowan who looked devastated?

Legrand's shoulders slumped. "The old man is gone and yet," he casts his gaze at Rowan, "his legacy will humiliate me."

Rowan said nothing.

"That's enough out of you," the shadow said. "You have a lot to answer once we get back to the capital."

She tugged Legrand forward.

"Legrand."

Rowan's voice stopped them. The former knight turned his head to the hunter.

"Gareth told me he saw potential in you. That even after you've been tossed down by monsters, you still got up. He said you were brave. He said you were like your wolves. He believed in you. And knowing him, I know he'll forgive you for this. That's just the way he is."

Legrand's eyes widened.

"…yeah," he said. "That's how he is."

The shadow leads him to the trees and was out of sight.

"Rowan." Mina stands next to him. "Are you OK?" She puts a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it."

"…" Rowan stares at where the shadow and Legrand had gone through.

Naofumi wanted to say something to comfort Rowan, but what? Words like, "I'm sorry," and "It'll be OK," won't help. Not in this situation where this 'Hrym' was involved.

"Let's go back to Haven Clove," he suggested. "You can tell me about Hrym there."

The four of them went in the direction where they had come from when Naofumi stopped. He spotted the corpse of one of the magical wolves. Its green glow had completely faded but it's fur, Naofumi realized, was a frosted green.

An idea came to mind. He knelt down next to the wolf and reached out. He grabbed a fistful of fur and as hard as he could, he ripped it off. Not much came out so he did it again. Once he got a good amount, he tucked the fur into his pocket.

'_I'll worry about that until tomorrow.'_

He caught up with the group and they made their way back to the village.

* * *

When they returned to Haven Clove, the atmosphere had changed drastically. The villagers were talking loudly to each other. Naofumi could barely make out what any of them were saying but he did manage to hear Legrand's name. The shadow must've moved fast if she needed to collect Legrand's other stuff. There was also the hidden shadow. It was a fruitless endeavor, but Naofumi looked at the villagers to see if any stuck out. But none did. A shadow hiding in plain sight.

Rowan leads them to his house where they gathered in the living room. Spiders moved out of the way and for once, Naofumi wasn't afraid of them. He had other things on his mind.

"Rowan."

For a moment, Rowan didn't speak.

"I said I would help you. I'm not sure how, but if you want me to help, you have to tell me about Hrym. It's a monster, isn't it?"

Rowan nodded.

"Then tell me: what is it?"

Again, Rowan didn't speak.

"Hrym is a monster," he finally said. "It appeared over a thousand years ago after the first few waves of calamity."

"So it's a wave monster, then?"

"Not exactly," Rachel said.

Naofumi raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The story of Hrym has been told since its first sighting. It's a monster, that much people know, but no one has ever seen what it looks like."

"So, it's from here? From Melromarc?"

"You aren't the first person to ask that question," Mina said. "Hrym's exact origins are shrouded in a fog. Some say it's a wave monster. Some say it's a monster from here. No one knows, really."

"Back up." Naofumi was being assaulted by too much information. "It's a monster. It's been around for a thousand years. What else?"

"It's…" Rowan sighed. "I wish I had all the answers. But Mina is right. No one, not even the most influential of scholars have been able to identify what Hrym is other than a monster.

"Documents and texts and accounts from way back then have said that after a wave was over, a monster lurked in the night. Those who were up at night say they saw something lurking in the darkness. It moved so fast they couldn't tell what it was."

"Isn't that just any nocturnal animal?" Naofumi asked.

"That's what people assumed. Except when Hrym was around, animals would start going crazy."

"Crazy how?"

"Feral, almost. Any animal would start acting up. Trained dogs would growl at their owners. Horses would break free from the stables and run around. You name it. When a shadowy creature is spotted around a village, the animals would react to its presence. That's how people knew it was Hrym. After it leaves, the animals would go back to normal. To this day, reports of animals acting strangely show that Hrym is still around, even after a thousand years."

Naofumi could now understand why they reacted when Legrand said Hrym. If a monster is capable of living over a thousand years and terrorize the population, then it was more than just an ordinary monster.

"Have people tried to hunt it?" He supplied.

"Yes…" Rowan said. "And each hunt ends in failure."

Naofumi grimaced. "What do you mean?"

"After the first couple of sightings, adventurers and hunters from all over the continent have claimed they would find Hrym and kill it. They would gather in large groups and head to where it was last spotted." He shook his head. "Each hunt ends in their deaths or they end up missing. Search parties were sent to find the bodies. When they did find them, they were beyond recognizable to the point where you had to look at the bones to see if it was a man or a woman. Hrym doesn't just kill. It kills with brute strength and savagery."

'_Shit,'_ Naofumi shuddered at the thought of a monster like Hrym was out there, still alive.

"Even after many failures," Rowan continued, "there were many attempts to hunt Hrym. But when the body started to get higher and higher, and when it was obvious no one could kill it, people stopped trying."

"Is he really unstoppable."

Mina nodded. "Yes. I've only ever heard stories of Hrym growing up at the orphanage, but when its name is spoken, people know that it isn't just an ordinary monster. It's… something else. Something that can't be beaten."

How is it that just hearing about Hrym sent Naofumi into a state of momentary fear? This was just like the cryptids he heard back home. Forget Bigfoot and any other beast secretly hiding in his world. (If they existed.) Hrym easily tops them all.

He looked down at his shield.

'_Maybe…'_

"I know what you're thinking," Rachel said dismissively. "And it won't work."

It was like she read his mind. "What's that supposed to mean."

"At some point, long after the Legendary Weapons came into existence, the four heroes decided they would work together and kill Hrym. It made sense when you think about it. Nothing says monster killer than weapons of legend."

She paused for a moment.

"When they hadn't reported back in a long time, a search party was sent. They found the four weapons on the ground and no sign of the heroes. This was over two hundred years ago. After that, no Cardinal Hero has even dared to hunt Hrym."

Naofumi slumped back in his seat. He recalled when he threw his shield in frustration after Malty's betrayal and how it teleported back to his arm. That meant the heroes were killed.

If the Cardinal Heroes can't kill Hrym, then no one can.

This is sounding more and more hopeless the more they talked about the monster.

"I just don't understand." Rowan rested his head on his hands. "Gareth knows Hrym can't be killed. He _knows_ that. Why didn't he just ignore Legrand's order? Why…"

His breath came out in a shudder.

Gareth.

Naofumi knew nothing about the man. He is a complete stranger. Someone who he wouldn't pay attention too if it didn't involve him. He may as well be some random person, just like how he passes by so many people at his university.

However, he mattered to someone. Friends. Family. Rowan.

He looked up to his master in admiration. This shy boy was taught by one of the best hunters in the land. And to see him so defeated, so sad, Naofumi felt his heart clench.

He promised he would help.

"When did you meet him?"

Rowan looked up. "What?"

"I don't know anything about him. Just what you've said about him. He means a lot to you. And I'd like to get to know him better."

Naofumi could see the confusion in Rowan's eyes. He stared back at him, no doubt looking into his eyes to see the validity in them.

Rowan took in a breath and let it out.

"I met Gareth sixteen years go. It was a few months after I turned five."

* * *

_**Sixteen years ago**_

"_Stop it!" Rowan thrashed his arms as hard as he could, but two older boys held them. All he could do was kick his feet._

"_Or what?" An older boy sneered at him. "You're gonna cry?" He laughed mockingly. His friends laughed as well._

"_Just give him back!" Rowan shouted. "He's mine!"_

"_This?" In the boy's hand, he held a spider no bigger than a coin sack. "It's just a stupid spider."_

_Rowan wanted to yell back. It wasn't stupid! It was a house spider he found outside his house. It was making a web on the ceiling of the living room and he called to it. He was starting to understand his abilities as a beastmaster and had fun calling to any spider in the village._

_The spider lowered itself on from a strand of webbing and crawled onto his hand. Rowan giggled. Its feet on his hand was tickling him. It was a little bigger than any spider he played with. Bigger than the little jumping spiders, but smaller than the tarantulas he found when playing in the woods. It was a perfect size. _

_He took the spider out to a clearing that was only a short walk from the village and played with it. The spider seemed pleased to be in his hand. There were only two other beastmasters living in Haven Clove. A farmer who could herd his sheep all by himself and a woman who controlled ferrets. They had helped him as much as they could but since their animals weren't spiders, they mainly stuck to the basics of what a beastmaster is. One of them was sensing an animal's emotion._

_Rowan had learned to read each spider he found. In a way, they were like the dogs farmers use to herd sheep. They're emotional but can't show it. Some spiders he found were happy. Some were angry. Some were very careful about where they lived. But they all felt comfortable around him. And that made Rowan happy._

_He found it cool to control spiders. He knew some people don't like them. Then he later found out people had a phobia of spiders. Which was weird to him. Why would people be scared of spiders? His father had given him an encyclopedia for his fifth birthday and it was all about spiders. There were all kinds of spiders in the book. So many! It even said there were more spiders on the planet than there were humans and demi-humans and beastmen! He did notice some of them were dangerous and could easily kill people, but only if they were threatened. _

_The more he read, the more he got excited to grow into his ability!_

_The spider in his hand crawled all over his hand and Rowan laughed. It was so ticklish!_

_He was having so much fun, he didn't notice three boys approaching. By the time he saw their shadows looming over him, two of them grabbed him by the arms, causing the spider to fall. It landed awkwardly but managed to get onto its feet. But not before one of the boys grabbed it._

_Rowan knew them. They were the boys who thought that Rowan was weird. Rowan knew others would think him controlling spiders was weird. But it wasn't weird. Not to him._

_And his spiders weren't stupid like the boy said. He was stupid!_

_In his mind, he sensed the spider panicking. It didn't have venom, but it could bite. Then he remembered how he told the spiders he played with not to bite anyone. And he didn't want to hurt the boy even if he was being mean. _

"_You're nothing but a freak!" The boy barked. "A freak with freak spiders! Why couldn't you control dogs or cats or anything? Huh?"_

_Rowan didn't have an answer to that. What he knew from the beastmasters in his village was that it was completely random. He liked dogs and cats, but he liked spiders even more. He would never trade away his spiders for any other animal out there._

_The boy scoffed. "Let's see how you like it when I do this."_

_He dropped the spider and didn't give it a chance to right itself from the ground. He lifted his foot and all the strength left Rowan's body when the boy stomped on the spider._

_He didn't feel when the boys let go of him, nor did he hear them as they left laughing. Everything was muted. Like when he dunked himself in the bathtub filled with soapy water._

_With little strength, he crawled to the spot where his spider had been crushed._

_He paled when he saw the remains. Two of its legs were bent in wrong ways. The encyclopedia said spiders bleed pale blue blood. From its abdomen, blood and exploded from there._

_To anyone, it was nothing more than a crushed spider. They won't even notice something so small and insignificant._

_Not to Rowan. This spider was happy earlier. Now it's dead._

_Tears clouded his vision._

'Spiders aren't stupid,'_ he thought. '_I'm not a freak. I'm not…'

_There would be more people like those boys. People who hate spiders. People who would kill them mercilessly._

_Why couldn't they see how special they were! Why!_

_Rowan sprang up and ran for the woods. He knew the woods like the back of his hand so getting lost wasn't an issue. He ran and ran. Anything to get away from those boys._

'I'm not a freak! I'm-'

"_Ah!"_

_An exposed tree root caught his foot. He landed face-first onto the patchy grass. The breath was knocked out of him._

_He didn't bother to get up. His arms hurt; his legs hurt._

'I… I'm not… a…'

_He buried his face in the ground and sobbed._

_Why did they have to be so mean? Just because he was different? Just because he liked spiders? None of it made sense to him._

_Why would someone kill animals just to be cruel? His spiders were trained. They were nice and caught all the flies and mosquitoes in the house._

_Rowan sobbed for the spider the boy killed. He sobbed for the times when he knew people would make fun of him._

"_Mrrrow."_

_Something wet bopped his head._

_Rowan looked up and could barely see what touched him. He blinked away the tears and he saw a black kitty._

_The kitty was a little bigger than the cats in the village. It had yellow eyes like some of them but something about this kitty was different._

_The kitty came closer and licked his cheek. Puppies and dogs licked his cheek when the farmers let children play on their farm. This was no different._

_The kitty continued licking his cheek. It licked away the tears that fell._

"_Ho there, young lad!"_

_Rowan gasped softly as a man came into view. The kitty scampered to the man and rubbed itself against his legs._

_The man was dressed in green and brown clothes and a dirty black cape. His hair was red but Rowan could see some gray on the sides. On his back was a bow and attached to a belt loop was a quiver filled with arrows._

_A hunter. The village had many hunters, as did the other villages in the woodlands. Rowan would see them leave the village and come back with all kinds of animals he had never seen. Even magical ones._

_This mad wasn't familiar to him. Haven Clove might be big, but he would've remembered someone with a black kitty. _

_The man crouched down. "What's wrong, boy?" He sounded concern. "Are you lost?"_

_Rowan tried to speak but he could barely get a word out. He shook his head._

"_Did you hurt yourself?"_

_He shook his head._

"_Then why the tears? You must be sad about something."_

_The man spoke softly. His brown eyes were inviting. His parents always said to never trust strangers. But for some reason, Rowan felt safe around this mad. He couldn't tell why, but the man wasn't dangerous even with his bow and arrows._

"_I… S-some boy c-called me a f-f-freak."_

_The man frowned. "Why would they say that? You don't look like a freak to me."_

"_B-because t-they…" He sat up and rubbed his tears away. "Because they d-don't like me."_

"_How come?"_

"_I… I c-control sp-spiders."_

"_Ah." The man nodded. "You're a beastmaster, then."_

_Rowan nodded._

"_I'm a beastmaster too, you know."_

"_R-really?"_

"_Yep! Cats, in fact. Like this one right here."_

_The black kitty came forward and butted its head against Rowan's chest. He giggled. Puppies and kitties are so soft and cuddly._

"_She seems to like you," the man said._

"_What kind of kitty is she, mister?" Rowan asked. "She's big for a kitty."_

"_That's because she's a black panther. I found her in my travels wandering around. Her mother had died and I took her in." The man reached forward and scratched the panther's chin, earning a purr from the cat._

_Rowan had never heard of a panther. He knew other cats existed but not a panther. _

"_C-can I pet her?"_

"_Of course!" The man said joyfully. "She's taken a liking to you already and you've only just met her!"_

_Slowly, Rowan rubbed the panther's back. The panther then started to lick his face._

"_Hehe!" Rowan giggled some more._

"_Alright, Mishka," the man said. "That's enough or you'll cover him in drool."_

_The panther – Mishka – stopped her licking and curled herself on Rowan's lap, purring._

"_Now then." The man sat down in front of Rowan. "Feeling better?"_

"… _a little."_

"_Good! If you're feeling better, then would you mind telling me about why you're sad? Was it because those boys called you a freak?"_

"…_yes."_

"_That's not nice of them." The man shook his head. "You should just ignore them. Boys like those are ignorant."_

"_Ignorant?" Rowan never heard that word._

"_It means they're not smart about some things," the man said._

_Stupid, basically. Rowan could agree with that._

"_Ignorant people say and do the meanest of things. Did they do anything besides name call you?"_

"_They…" It was hard to get the words out knowing he'll have to remember what they did. "They killed one of my spiders."_

_The man patted him on the head. It was like when his father did the same thing after being read a bedtime story. It's comforting._

"_Clearly," the man said, "they know nothing about the importance of spiders. Or any animal for that matter?"_

_Rowan felt relief knowing someone understood that spiders are important._

"_Every animal," the man continued, "is important. No matter what anyone says, they're important. Without them, we as people would not be able to function in life. They're not only necessary, but some of them can also be friends to us too. Except cockroaches. They can die off." The man did a scrunched-up face, which made Rowan laugh._

"_I don't like cockroaches either."_

"_Who does?"_

_The sadness from earlier was starting to go away now. The spider may be gone, but Rowan knows there are more spiders out there. More to befriend and more to play with._

"_Can you answer me one question, lad?"_

"_What is it, mister?"_

"_Have you ever thought of being a hunter? Most beastmasters become skilled hunters."_

_The thought had come to Rowan a few times when he saw the hunters of his village. They looked so cool and strong. He was still too young to go on any hunts. The only time he has ever held a bow was when his parents bought him a small bow replica that was a toy rather than an actual bow. Some nights he took it with him to bed and dreamed of hunting big monsters with his spiders._

_Could he? Being he's from a forest village, hunting is second nature to a lot of people. Some were made for it and others not. It was hard work, that he knew. _

_But if he could hunt monsters and train his spiders more, then he could become strong too._

'Strong like this man,'_ he thought._

"_Yes." He finally said._

"_Good! I was actually on my way to Haven Clove to move there, so it's nice to have someone show me around." He stood and held out his hand. "Now come, lad. Once I get settled down and talk to your parents, your training as a hunter starts. I know you're going to do great. I can see it in your eyes."_

"_My eyes?"_

"_Something I learned when hunting." The man winked. _

_Rowan didn't know what that meant, but he could learn._

_He reached out and grabbed the man's hand._

"_Oh, my name is Gareth, by the way," the man – Gareth – said._

"_I'm Rowan."_

"_Nice to meet you, Rowan." Gareth smiled._

_Mishka ran happily in circles around them._

_This was the start of something new and fun. He could feel it._

* * *

"That's… wow."

Naofumi never had someone like Gareth in his life. A mentor to help him improve his skills. He has his parents, brothers, and the handful of online friends he has when playing MMORPGs.

Gareth was more than a master to Rowan. He was a friend.

"He's really important to you, huh?"

"He is. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be the person that I am. I'm still shy, I'm not good at starting conversations. But now I'm braver to fight monsters, stand up for myself, and do things I never thought of doing if he hadn't come. Now he's…"

"Maybe not all is lost," Mina said. "Have you heard of when Hrym was last sighted?"

"Um…" Rowan drums his fingers on his lap. "I think it was last spotted near the mountains. Other than that, there haven't been any sightings of it. I doubt it's still there, but Gareth may be following a trail."

"Then there's still hope. If you can find him, maybe you can convince him to come back."

"I guess so. But there's still the issue of _where_ he is. I don't think he's out of the country. There have only been a few times when Hrym was spotted in Siltvelt, Faubley, and the other countries. Hrym mainly wanders Melromarc."

Rachel sighed and leaned back. "This does sound tough. What about his family? Do you think they know anything?"

"Not likely," Rowan replied. "He had a wife but she passed away from illness two years before he moved to Haven Clove. He does come from a large family. Five brothers, four sisters, and lots of nieces and nephews. They know he can be gone for a while when he's on a hunt, so I doubt any of them know where he is."

From the looks of it, Naofumi had to agree with Rachel. This is tough. With no leads on where Gareth is, it might as well be finding a needle in a haystack. He didn't know how big Melromarc is, or the other countries. Finding Gareth is going to be difficult. More so with a thousand-year-old monster that is strong enough to kill the Cardinal Heroes running around.

There was more he could do. Much more. He needed that strength and determination to help others. Before, it had been only him and no one else. Then came Rachel, saving Lute Village, Mina, Westbrook, and now Legrand. Whatever path he had been on originally, he strayed off it and took a new one.

One that helped others. One that made him be a hero.

There are still people out there like the King, Malty, and Legrand. His barriers would always stay up. But meeting new people, people who were honest and wanted to help, he could let his walls down for just a bit.

"Listen."

He stood and went directly in front of Rowan. The hunter looked up with a questioning gaze.

"I don't know Gareth. I don't know much about you either. But I can tell how much he means to you. How much he means to the village as well. So…"

'_Here goes nothing.'_

"If you want, you can travel with us."

Rowan's mouth made an O shape and his eyebrows shot up.

"Look, I'm not liked by most of the people here. Being with me can be difficult. But since I'm one of the Four Heroes, I get to travel more. If you go and try to find Gareth on your own, you may run into some trouble. With three other people, it increases your chances of survival. You don't have to answer right away-"

"Yes!" Rowan sprang up from his chair. "Yes! Yes! Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me. I knew you were a hero."

"Uh-Umm…"

"Guess we have a new party member." Rachel stood and put a hand on Rowan's shoulder. "Welcome to the team."

"I'm proud of you, Naofumi," Mina said. "You may be a prickly porcupine, but under all those quills, you're a softie."

"A softie with a babyface," Rachel laughed.

Naofumi looked away, cheeks red. "S-stop it." Despite being embarrassed, he smiled.

"Wait." Suddenly, he remembered why he was in Haven Clove, to begin with. "I completely forgot about what's going on in Lute Village! We still need a silver moose."

"Actually," Rowan went to a corner of the living room, crouched down and reached for something. "I've been thinking. Maybe instead of a silver moose, we can use one of my spiders.

He returned and in his hand was a spider. It was big enough to fit in his hand. Its legs were long enough to wrap around Rowan's hand and from what Naofumi could guess, has twisted joints.

"This is a huntsman spider. Not only are they able to squeeze into small spaces because of their flattened appearance, but they're also very fast.

"How fast."

"Fast enough that if I use my growth spell, it can outrun a Tyrera."

The world was starting to look more hopeful.

"In that case, yeah, that could work."

"Great. We'll leave tomorrow morning. I have to pack and tell my parents where I'm going. Again, I can't thank you enough for doing this, Naofumi."

"No problem, Rowan." He realized he was still smiling.

Tomorrow, he'll return to Lute Village, beat Motoyasu in the race, and from there, who knows.

The future is blank, but he's going to make it colorful.

* * *

**New Party Member Added!**

**Name: Rowan Blake**

**LV: 39**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 21**

**Class: None**

**Occupation: Hunter**

* * *

**Hey all! Sorry for the long delay. Fight scenes can be a real pain to get through. But here we are with an update.**

**So, Hrym. Hrym's existence came to mind when I started to plan out each of the characters. Every character has a reason to go on a journey and in Rowan's case, it's finding Gareth and possibly hunting Hrym. When thinking about Hrym, I wanted to create a monster that is powerful enough to even kill a legendary Hero. Yes, even Glass herself wouldn't be able to kill Hrym. What exactly is Hrym? Keep reading and see! ;)**

**Next chapter will go over the race, a few stuff from the anime, and something new involving Rachel.**

**Stay tuned!**


	21. Chapter 20

Naofumi stifled a yawn, trying his best to wake up. Not that it was easy considering it was seven in the morning and he'd only slept for a few hours. After everything that happened yesterday, sleep was the last thing on his mind. Legrand and Hrym made his thoughts run like a roller coaster.

Legrand was proof that no one could be easily trusted, especially if they were associated with the king and Malty.

Hrym… if they could find Gareth and avoid Hrym, that would be the best.

There was also the race back in Lute. Rowan had said he would use the huntsman spider he showed them yesterday and the idea of riding a hairy spider sent shivers all over his body.

'_God, I hope nothing goes wrong,' _he thought.

Rachel and Mina were finishing paying for their room and would grab some food from the dining area. Rowan had said he would arrive at the inn with his spider and a wagon. He explained last night when he visited that he talked with the mayor about Legrand and Gareth and the man offered him a wagon to travel in. It was generous of him, and Naofumi made a mental note to thank the mayor.

Behind him, the door to the inn opened.

"All ready!" Rachel exclaimed as she hefted her satchel. "We've got food, water for our canteens, and I even got to make some tonics and salves."

"Is Rowan almost here?" Mina looked around the village.

"He should be here soon," Naofumi answered.

"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked. "You think you're ready to beat Motoyasu?"

"It's not like I can let the village live under a tax they can't pay forever. It'll ruin their village to the point of desertion." He shook his head. Honestly, how could Malty do that to a village she knew was recovering from a wave attack?

A village he saved while the others fought a chimera.

'_Fucking bitch.'_ Cursing her wouldn't solve any problems. But it felt damn good.

Maybe she's just born evil? That's what people say about serial killers. Psychopaths. Not even the bullies or jackasses from his time in high school were that bad. Then again, he'd stayed on the sidelines and never even gotten bullied. That's a perk of being a shut-in otaku. You'd fly by under the radar.

He wished that was his life now. Back home playing games and reading manga and light novels. Not the most ideal form of living, but it beats living in a fantasy world where literally everything could kill him.

"We'll figure something out." Mina patted him on the shoulder. "We're playing it by ear at this point. Let's try to be calm about this."

"You make it seem like this whole mess is something that can be easily fixed."

"It won't be easy, that much we all know. But your determination to win back the village shows that this is something you want to do, not because you have to." She said with finality.

Her words rang true. He wanted to save them. The villagers may not expect him to owe them anything as they believed saving their village was enough. This was something he would do for them. And maybe get something in return…

"Hey there!"

The three of them saw Rowan riding a covered wagon being pulled by the huntsman spider. It looked big enough when it was in regular size. Now it looked beyond big. How the villagers were comfortable living with giant spiders, Naofumi will never understand.

The wagon came to a stop in front of them and Rowan hopped down. "So, what do you think?" He asked with a smile on his face.

The wagon looked pristine, Naofumi noticed. The wood was dark and looked hard enough to withstand anything. Same with the wheels. The white canvas tent looked new without a smudge of dirt on it. And, to top it all off, it was big enough to store a lot of people and supplies.

And it was theirs!

"Damn," was all he said.

"It's impressive!" Rachel walked toward the wagon and looked at the inside. "Yep, we'll be rolling around like royalty here."

Mina reached and ran her fingers against the wood. "Looks sturdy," she points out. "I'm guessing the mayor wasted no expenses when he bought this?"

"He's very practical like that," Rowan said. "Anything that can be useful to everyone in Haven Clove, he'll get it for them. It helps that his brother is the mayor of the port town farther north. Anything he gets, he gives it to the mayor."

Impressive. One day, he'd like to travel to the port town. If they needed to, that is.

"So," he said. "You ready to go?"

"Yep!" Rowan replied. "I already said good-bye to my parents and I have everything I need packed." He emphasized this by hefting the bag slung over his shoulders.

"I also brought this." He reached to a leg strap on his right leg and pulled out the flintlock pistol Naofumi saw from a few days ago. "You never know when we might need bullets. And I can always buy ammo if we ever stop by Silvershore." He put the gun back to his strap.

So he was not only loaded with arrows, but he was also packing bullets.

Nice.

"OK then. If you guys are ready, let's head out."

The four of them climbed into the wagon and set aside their supplies near the end. Rowan went to the front of the wagon where he sat and adjusted the reigns.

Before he could ask his spider to move, a voice called out.

"Rowan!"

Naofumi popped his head out of the wagon and saw the mayor walking to them briskly with an older man following behind.

The older man looked like he was in his early sixties and was dressed in a white robe lined with gold. When they neared the wagon, Naofumi saw an insignia on the robe's left breast. A brown tree with orange leaves was at the center with four stars in different colors surrounding it. One purple, the other green, then orange, and a blue.

Strange.

Just from looking at the robe, he knew the man was some type of priest or bishop. He looked around and near the center of the village, he saw a church. The same insignia was painted on the front of the building above the wooden doors.

"What is it, sir?" Rowan asked the mayor.

"Just wanted to say farewell. I didn't get the chance last night so I might as well say it now." He said. "And I ran into Father Gunther. He wishes to say farewell, too."

Rowan looked to the Reverend. "You didn't have to do that, Father."

The older man waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense. You know it's my job to bless anyone leaving on a journey. Consider it a thank you for bringing back so many elk last year. Fed my family for weeks!"

"S-sure." Rowan chuckled nervously. "Thank you."

"I guess this is good-bye then," the mayor said. "I hope you find Gareth and bring him back here. I wish you all safe passage."

"As do I," Gunther said. He closed a hand and covered it with the other, bringing them to his chest, his eyes closed and head leaning down in prayer. "May the Four Gods bless your journey with safety and prosperity. May the Four Gods offer their holy strength to see you all through your endeavors."

'_Four Gods?' _Naofumi remembered the Pope that was in the arena where he fought Motoyasu. He didn't see the tree insignia anywhere on the man's robe. _'That means there's more than one religion.'_

Rowan said his thanks, snapped the reigns, and the spider pulled the wagon out of Haven Clove and a few minutes later, out of the woodlands.

The ride was surprisingly smooth all things considered. At the rate they're going based on the spider's speed, they'll reach Lute in two hours.

Two hours.

Hmmm…

At times like this, he wished he had his phone or Switch. Hell, even one of his manga or light novels to kill time.

What could he do to pass time?

Mina was reading a book while Rachel examined her vials. Rowan was sitting at the front guiding the spider to Lute.

They had something to do while he had nothing.

Then he remembered what Gunther had said.

"Hey."

The women stopped what they were doing and looked at him. Rowan looked over his shoulder.

"What exactly is the main religion here?"

Rachel's eyes widened with surprise. "Right. I was going to mention it to you but I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"About why most people don't like you."

"Wasn't it because of the rumors."

"Not necessarily," Mina said. "Rather, even if that didn't happen, you will still have a stigma held against you for being the Shield Hero."

"But… I'm a hero. Why would they hate a hero? That doesn't make sense."

"That's how it's been since the Church of the Three Heroes was founded," Rowan said. "Actually, long before the Church was founded."

Church of the Three Heroes? Why just three and not four?

"That still doesn't answer my question."

Mina put away her book and faced Naofumi. "To answer that, the main religion of Melromarc is the Teachings of the Four Gods. A religion that has been around long before Melromarc was established as a country. It is said that four gods had blessed the continent and the population thrived with their blessing."

"It is also said that they were the ones who blessed the alchemist who created the Holy Weapons with their knowledge," Rachel said. "They're pretty influential in a lot of places. Faubley and Innis too. They even have their own knights."

"Back to your question," Mina said. "The reason why the Shield Hero is not liked is because of his affiliation with demi-humans. There has always been a power struggle between humans and demi-humans. It's been like that for hundreds of years. The Shield Hero, in particular, is more in favor of demi-humans and their plight. And of course, humans were not pleased with that and at some point, the Church came into existence, annexing you and worshiping the other Heroes."

Basically, racism. Naofumi inwardly groaned. Even a fantasy world like this has problems. Not that he's surprised considering some of the fantasy books he reads and games he's played deal with that issue. And he's at the center of it.

"So, what am I supposed to do then?" he asked, "How am I supposed to save this world if most people hate me?"

"Not everyone hates you," Rowan confirms. He sets down the reign and climbs in the wagon. "You're forgetting the Four Gods. That religion has been around much longer and there are more practitioners of that religion than the Church. Did you notice how no one in Haven Clove gave you the stink eye?"

Come to think of it, yeah, he was right. The villagers didn't seem to mind he was there, his shield out in the open for everyone to see.

"There are more people that worship the Four Gods than there are of the Church," Rachel adds. "The upside, we can go to lots of villages and cities that don't hate you. The downside, Castle Town is the prime hub of the Church. Remember when you fought Motoyasu and they announced the Pope?"

He thinks back to that day and the memory was starting to become more vivid, like if someone cleaned their glasses of dirt and grime.

"He's the figurehead, then?"

"Pretty much. Pope Balmus, if I recall."

Hearing about this was making more irritated by the minute. If Rachel is right, then there shouldn't be an issue if they go to places where the Four Gods have a stronger influence than the Church.

'_There's still the issue of the Pope. If he keeps preaching nothing but hate toward demi-humans and me, it'll make things more difficult.'_

"Um," Rowan interrupted his train of thought. "I don't know much about the Church. What I do know is that they worship a god. And they call you the Shield Demon. And followers of the Church wear a rosary around their necks. And umm… Oh! They have their own knights too, just like the knights of the Four Gods. Hang on."

He reached for his bag and pulled out a rolled-up paper, a vial of ink, and a quill. "Wish I bought a pen when I visited Silvershore," he mutters. He unrolls the paper, revealing a much more detailed map. Uncapping the ink vial, Rowan dipped the quill in and started circling parts of the map and putting x-marks on different areas.

"Here, give me." Rachel reached for the quill after Rowan was done and repeated the same thing Rowan did.

"Let me add some." Mina did the same.

"OK," She turned the map so Naofumi could see it right-side up. "The circles are places where you can go to that worship the Four Gods. The ones we crossed out are where the Church has a strong influence."

There were more circles than X's. Looking more closely, Naofumi studied the map. To the east were more land, the sea and a large island that could almost be a continent. The north consisted of woodlands, highlands, and what appeared to be snow-capped mountains. To the west, there was a dark dotted line that Naofumi assumed was a border wall. Beyond the wall were grasslands and mountains. But what really caught his eye was the giant X over it.

"What's up with this?" He pointed to the X.

His group stilled at what he was pointing.

"Well…" Rowan fiddled with his fingers nervously. "That's Siltvelt, where most of the demi-humans live. They're not followers of the Church or of the Four Gods. Though it's not safe to go there."

"Why not?"

"It has to do with you as the Shield Hero," Mina answered. "There, they worship the Shield Hero like a god, the same way the Church worships the Bow, Sword, and Spear hero. Just like the Church, the people there, at least most of them, are zealots. And they aren't particularly kind to humans."

Naofumi looked back at the map, specifically at Siltvelt. To have an entire country worship him didn't sound as bad as he thought. Hell, it beats being seen as some type of demon in the eyes of the Church followers. If they were crazed zealots, why hasn't he been approached by one yet?

'_If they know I'm here, where are they?' _he thought. _'I've seen dozens of demi-humans_ _since my arrival. Is it because…'_

His party consists of nothing but humans.

'_It's not like I choose them specifically because they're human.'_

This was too much. He could worry about Siltvelt for another day. He rolled up the map and tucked it in his bag.

"Let's focus on the race," he said. He looked to Rowan. "How will it work riding your spider?"

Rowan cut his gaze to the huntsman spider pulling their wagon. "He's very fast regardless of his size. Any saddle could work even if he's not a horse. You'll be on the abdomen while the reigns will be tied to his sternum. So long as I tell him to win the race and follow your orders, it should be an easy win."

A sure-fire win. Naofumi felt a sense of relief knowing he'll save the people of Lute (once again). Once that was over…

There was a lot to explore. More places to visit, more people to encounter. Helping Mina and Rowan. A lot of possibilities.

"Good. For now, let's enjoy the ride until we get to Lute."

Mina pulled out a book from her bag and nestled into a corner of the wagon. Rachel began going through her satchel, mumbling about her stock. Rowan went back to the front to guide the spider.

Naofumi joined him, deciding he wanted to watch the scenery. The blue sky was dotted with fluffy clouds. Here or in Japan, the sky remained the same. He could almost forget that this sky would be torn asunder and monsters of all kinds would be summoned.

It was moments like this, where there was no immediate danger or sense of dread, he appreciated the most. The scent of grass, the wind blowing through his hair. He found himself smiling. So long as things go their way, the road ahead shouldn't be hard to get through.

"So… umm…" Rowan mumbled. "… how are you feeling?" He smiled but it looked forced.

"Good, I guess," Naofumi responded.

"Oh. That's good."

…

"Did you like Haven Clove?"

"It was a nice village."

"Oh…"

…

Naofumi went back to looking at the sky while Rowan was having an internal meltdown.

'_Godsdamn it why is this so hard?!'_

Talking to people should be easy. Gareth made it look easy! He sighed. He'll work on his people skills another day. Slumping in his seat, he flicked the reigns and the spider picked up speed.

Beside him, Naofumi leaned a bit back, breathing in the clear air and took the moment to relax.

* * *

(Meanwhile, in Lute Village)

* * *

Motoyasu groaned as he rubbed his tired eyes. The feathered mattress he'd been sleeping on did little to comfort him. He'd been trapped in his room at the inn for the last few days. The one time he did try to leave he was met with hateful glares from the villagers.

Malty had assured him that Naofumi wouldn't be able to procure an animal fast enough to outrun his pet tyrella. He'd ridden on it a few times and he had to keep a death grip on the reigns so he wouldn't fall.

He had a fast dragon, his party members were strong in terms of their stats, and he has Malty with him. A bona fide team. So why did nobody like him?

He sighed and got out of bed. The last few days have been nothing but staying in and having one of his girls bring him food and water. He never opened the window to his room for fear of someone throwing something heavy through it.

"What the hell is going on?" He muttered to himself. "This shouldn't be happening to me."

He thought about going to Malty's room and ask for advice but decided against it. She'd been in a bad mood these past days. She acted sweetly in front of him but would turn venomous to others. The last thing he'd want is to be on the venomous end of her mood.

Daringly, he partially opened the window's wooden panels. There weren't any clocks at the inn, so he had to estimate what time it is based on the sun's position. It was probably nine, give or take.

Closing the panels, he went to the dresser and began putting on his armor.

'_This blows,' _he thought while adjusting his arm guards. _'I can't read for shit of the language, I have to rely on Malty for understanding the world, the people hate me here, and I still haven't met enough pretty women!'_

This was supposed to be a fun game with action, adventure, and pretty women galore! He had finally gotten his dream of having a harem last week.

'_If this is what it means to become Lord, then I don't want to be one.'_ He'd much rather be doing, well, anything. Fighting monsters, leveling up more, unlocking new classes, find more women. There's so much more to do! Not stay here like a hermit in a village where everyone hates him.

He's a hero. People should like him.

He stilled as he was putting on one of his shin guards. _'… why don't they like me?"_

They liked Naofumi, that's for sure. Voices would carry through the window praising Naofumi for helping them when the wave hit. Or how he'll save the village from, "the princess' unfair tax."

That was something else he noticed. Malty was not viewed positively. Her adventure name may be Myne, but practically everyone refers to her using her real name. Just the mere mention of her name made the villagers either scrunch up their face in disgust or muttering hateful remarks.

'_She's the princess. Aren't they supposed to like her?'_

He sighed again. This was not what he signed up for. Politics is – and never will be – his strong suit.

Why was he even here to begin with? This was Malty's idea, not his. When she brought up taxation, it didn't sound so bad at first. That is until he heard the protests.

"RAH!"

The cry startled him. It wasn't a cry of anguish or fear. It sounded almost playful.

Curious, he opened the panels and saw two boys running around. One had his hands in the air, his fingers stretched out to look like claws while the other one held a wooden board with a green circle painted in the middle.

He felt a pang of anger and resentment. Anger at Naofumi and resentment for his popularity.

'_Why do they like him?' After what he did to Malty, why? And… why don't they like me?'_

This sucked.

Suddenly, footsteps pounded outside.

"I think that's him!" Someone shouted.

"Really? He's returned!"

"Our hero!"

Motoyasu didn't have to guess who they were referring to.

He bolted out of his room just as Malty left hers.

She scowled. "I didn't expect him to return soon."

"What kind of animal did he get?" Motoyasu asked.

Malty barked a short laugh. "Nothing as fast as yours. Come on, let's see what that bastard has."

Outside, the villagers had gathered near the village entrance. There were so many he couldn't see over most of their heads. He spotted a crate and stood on it. He shielded his eyes from the sun and looked at the dirt path.

A wagon was coming. The closer it got, the more he could discern the people riding it.

There, in all his glory was Naofumi. Rachel and Mina could be seen inside the wagon. Next to Naofumi was some guy in a red tunic and brown vest.

And what was pulling the wagon was…

'_A giant spider?!"_

* * *

As the wagon passed through the entrance, the villagers took a collective gasp of shock and moved back. Naofumi couldn't blame them. A giant spider wasn't exactly welcoming.

Rowan pulled the reigns and the spider stopped. Naofumi jumped off and scanned the crowd for Motoyasu and Malty.

"Motoyasu!" Naofumi called out. "I'm here! Let's get this race over with!"

The crowd moved apart as the two in question came barging through.

"What is the meaning of this?" Malty pointed at the spider. "Why is there a giant spider here?"

"The requirements asked for an animal to race in." Naofumi patted the spider's abdomen. "And I have one."

"Where did you even get one?!"

"Him." Naofumi pointed to Rowan.

Rowan, who was removing the reigns from the spider, stilled as all eyes were now on him.

"Uh-umm…" He cleared his throat. "H-hi. I'm Rowan. I'm a beastmaster and th-this is my spider." He shrank back with so many people looking at him.

"Rules are rules," Mina said. "We have an animal to participate in the race. So, you better bring it and play fair, princess."

"Oh, we will," Malty growled. "You think you can win with that tarantula?"

"Actually," Rowan stepped forward. "This is a huntsman spider. Tarantulas are a special type of spider. There are many differences between the two. For example, spiders use their silk to make webs to capture any prey. Tarantulas, on the other hand, use their silk to make nests that look like hammocks. They do that to rest. Also-"

He stopped his rambling when he realized everyone was staring at him in confusion.

"…sorry." He bowed his head timidly. "Continue."

Naofumi took the silence to speak first before Malty. "We can argue all we want or we can start preparing. Which is it, _princess_?"

Malty didn't ignore the venom in the last word. "Act confident all you want. We have the advantage whereas you just have a spider." The huffed and turned. "Let's go, Sir Motoyasu."

Motoyasu looks like he wanted to say more but instead followed her.

"Who pissed in her cup of tea this morning?" Rachel asked.

"Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know why she's pissed," Naofumi replied.

"Rocket?"

"Forget it. Let's get this over with."

The race, as it turns out, will take place outside of Lute. They were to go 3 laps around the village and the first one to cross the finish line on the third lap wins.

Easy enough. Naofumi spent hours playing Mario Kart. Except for this time, he'll be controlling a spider, not a kart. Though it's not like he's ever ridden a kart before in his life, let alone a spider.

'_Life really is strange,"_ he thought.

He and Motoyasu were on the sidelines preparing their rides. Motoyasu was petting the dragon's head, speaking softly to it.

Naofumi stole a glance at the dragon. Just from seeing its taut legs, he knew he was dealing with some tough competition. Despite the dragon's advantage, the huntsman did have eight legs. The more legs, the more speed, right? He knew nothing about spiders other than they're creepy.

That was before. Now, as he looked back at the huntsman, it was less creepy. But creepy nonetheless.

"So," Rowan fastened the saddle on the spider's abdomen. "Everything should be ready. I told him to follow your orders so you'll have no trouble asking him to go fast or slow. He's good at turning corners and jumping even if he's not a jumping spider. You're in good hands."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't recommend riding a spider if I knew it wasn't going to win the race. You'll be fine."

Naofumi knelt down in front of the spider. It's eight eyes might as well be black holes. There was no iris or anything really. All he could see was his reflection from the sunlight. If he was going to ride him, he needed to get friendly with it.

Slowly, Naofumi reached out and patted the spider's head.

'_Yep. Hairy. Very hairy.' _This was way different from a dog or a cat. The huntsman didn't so much as move as he continued patting it.

It felt oddly comforting, petting it. He would've preferred fur or even feathers. But this was nice once he got used to it.

"Is that really what you're riding?"

Naofumi stopped his petting as Motoyasu approached them.

"What do you want?" Naofumi asked bitterly.

"I had to come see it with my own eyes. You really think this hairy freak could beat my dragon?" He laughed. "Come on! You're just going to make a fool of yourself with this thing. Just give up and-"

_**THWAK!**_

One of the spider's legs flicked up quickly, hitting Motoyasu in his family jewels.

"What the!" Naofumi practically jumped out of his skin. It happened so quickly!

"AAAHHHH!" Motoyasu screamed but something Naofumi noticed was Motoyasu's face was… pleased.

'_Don't tell me he's…' _he didn't dare finish his thought.

Motoyasu landed in a pile of hay, clutching his jewels tightly.

"Sir Motoyasu!" Malty ran up to him. "Someone get a healer quick!"

Not far from them, Rachel and Mina watched the scene unfold before them.

"That was…" Mina couldn't finish her sentence.

"Yeah," Rachel said.

"You saw his face. You don't suppose he's… one of those types?"

"If he is, remind me to kick him anywhere else besides his crotch."

"Noted."

Naofumi continued watching in stunned silence. There's no way the spider did that on its own volition.

Then…

He turned to Rowan who was whistling, bobbing back and forth on his heels.

"Did you tell your spider to hit him in his dick?"

Rowan smiled playfully. "Maybe."

It's official. Rowan is now his most favorite person on earth.

Seeing Motoyasu in pain, still clutching his balls, Naofumi let out a loud laugh.

A true laugh. He was laughing to the point where his eyes began to tear up.

The sound of a horn blew. It was time for the race to begin.

Naofumi went to the spider's side. The spider lowered itself until Naofumi was able to climb on it and sit on the saddle.

"Woah!" He reached for the reigns as the spider made his way to the starting line.

The crowd of villagers had gathered on the sidelines watching in anticipation. Rachel, Mina, and Rowan stood in a less crowded place and watched.

"Here's hoping Motoyasu loses." Rachel reached into her satchel, pulled out a flask and drank from it.

"Here here," Mina said.

"Naofumi will win," Rowan said with determination. "I believe in them."

"Hmm…" Mina crossed her arms and looked to where Malty was. The princess was talking to Motoyasu as he climbed on his tyrella, probably giving him praise and encouraging him. Mina didn't miss the smirk that played on the princess' face.

"We'd best keep an eye out on Malty. Something tells me she'll do whatever it takes to win this race."

Naofumi and Motoyasu were at the starting line. The Lord came to stand between the two riders.

"Ready…"

A silence hung in the air, the villagers holding their breaths in anticipation.

"GO!"

The huntsman shot forward, causing Naofumi to hold on tighter to the reigns.

'_Jesus this thing is fast!'_

When Rowan said it was fast, he failed to mention it was like riding in a car going 50 miles per hour. On top of that, he still had trouble adjusting himself on the saddle. The corner was coming up ahead and he knew he had to command the spider.

"Go steady!"

The spider slowed slightly but still maintained its speed, passing the corner in fluid motion. The crowd cheered loudly before they disappeared from view.

Daring to look over his shoulder, Naofumi smiled in glee as Motoyasu was way behind. He could just make out the glare on Motoyasu's face. Naofumi laughed and looked back forward.

"Keep it up!" He shouted.

The spider then advanced in speed. When the next corner came, they repeated the same step going to the corner. They sped past the starting line and the crowd cheered even louder than before.

"You got this Naofumi!" Rowan yelled.

"Kick his ass!" Rachel hollered.

For her part, Mina clapped and whistled.

This was going a lot easier than he thought. Not only is he ahead, but he's also getting used to the saddle and the spider's speed. This beats riding a horse or even a fast luxury car!

'_Never did I ever think a spider would be better than a horse or a car.'_

Unbeknownst to him, a royal knight was hidden in the little grove close to the village. When the Shield Hero came into view, he readied his hands and whispered a spell.

"As source of thy power, I order thee. Decipher the laws of nature and slow my target. Speed Down!"

A purplish aura surrounded Naofumi and the spider.

"Huh?"

The spider slowed, giving Motoyasu the chance to thunder forward.

"Take that, Naofumi!" He called over his shoulder, smiling smugly.

It didn't take Naofumi less than a second to know what happened.

'_That bitch is cheating!'_

Back at the starting line, Rowan felt a shiver in his core. He let out a small gasp.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked.

Rowan didn't answer. Instead, he concentrated on the huntsman. When his mind joined the spider's, he could feel the faint residue of magic.

"They used magic to slow Naofumi down!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Rachel glared at Malty. The princess was smirking, not even noticing the hot glare from Rachel. "That little cunt."

"What should we do?" Mina glanced at Rowan. "Should we intervene?"

"No," Rowan shook his head. "If we try to do something, they'll accuse us of cheating."

"There must be some way to stop her?"

"Hmmm…" _'Think,' _Rowan thought to himself. His spell pool consisted of wind magic and two buff spells. Nothing to stop whoever used magic on Naofumi.

Someone was hiding somewhere. The village had groves surrounding the perimeter. It's the perfect hiding place.

It was also the perfect home for spiders.

He closed his eyes and reached out to the spiders in the groves. His mind connected with hundreds of them. He had to be quick to look through their eyes to see where the person was hiding.

Finally, he spotted someone. It was a knight, shielded by trees and shrubs.

"Found them."

In that small grove, he connected with ten spiders. One of which was a tarantula. A big one at that.

'_Stop the man from casting another spell.' _When he was done giving the order, he concentrated back to the huntsman. '_Go faster.'_

The spider complied, surging forward. Naofumi held tight to the reigns while squeezing the spider's abdomen with his legs.

"Move!" The spider moved faster, gaining enough speed to catch up to Motoyasu.

When they were side by side, Naofumi cast a smug glance at Motoyasu and flicked the reigns, going past the Spear Hero.

"Damn!" Motoyasu kicked the Tyrella's leg. "Faster."

They were nearing the corner again where the knight was hiding. He positioned himself ready and began whispering his spell.

"Decipher the laws of nature and hasten my-"

The knight stopped when he felt something crawling on his leg. He quickly looked down and saw a tarantula making its way up along with several other spiders.

"AHHH!"

Naofumi snapped his head to the grove. _'Did I hear someone scream?'_

He ignored whatever he heard and focused back on the race. This was the last lap. Whatever spell was placed on the spider it had disappeared and was moving faster than before.

"Come on! You got this!"

"Hurry!" Motoyasu yelled. The Tyrella was just creeping up on them from behind. Then they were neck to neck.

"Don't think you can beat me, Naofumi," Motoyasu mocked. "There's no way they'll accept someone like you as their savior."

Savior. Such a powerful word. Truthfully, he didn't care what the people of Lute saw him as. He definitely wasn't a savior of any kind.

"I'm not a savior," he said. "But that doesn't mean I'll let that bitch ruin a village!"

They were nearing the last corner. The villagers were chanting and cheering for Naofumi. Maybe Motoyasu was right. They did see him as their savior. This is the second time he'll save them from ruin.

Savior or not, he meant what he said to Motoyasu. His words, the cheers from the villagers, the faith his party members had for him, they all ignited a fire in him. He's going to win this. For all of them.

"For Lute!"

His words pushed the spider forward, way past Motoyasu.

'_Come on come on!'_

He was almost there. Just a little more…

The second one of the spider's legs went past the finish line, he knew it was over.

He won.

Cheers erupted from the villagers.

Naofumi coaxed the spider to the sidelines and once he got down, he was swarmed by the villagers.

"Thank you, Hero!"

"Bless you!"

"Hero! Hero!"

"You saved us!"

He didn't know how to respond. Now he understood how Rowan felt when trying to find the right words. Not that he could even say anything with so many people speaking over him.

The crowd dispersed as his team came up to him.

"I knew you could do it!" Rachel pulled him into a tight hug.

"Um…" His cheeks blushed being this close to a woman. He knew Rachel was playing around but damn did he really have to learn some self-control of women were going to hug him.

"Good job, the two of you!" Rowan declared.

"Congratulations!" Mina pulled him away from Rachel's grasp and hugged him.

This time he was sure his entire face was red. Whereas Rachel had a bodice and shawl covering her, Mina only had her top, leaving most of her upper body bare. And he could feel every inch of it.

He smiled to himself. _'Thank you, God.'_

He extracted himself from the dancer and saw Malty and Motoyasu coming toward them.

"You!" Malty spat.

"What's wrong, princess?" Naofumi jested. "Is someone upset their little trick didn't work?"

"What trick?" She countered.

"Don't play dumb with me. Someone used a spell on me during the race. I know you had something to do with it."

"Me?" She smiled playfully, ignoring the accusation. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said innocently.

"It's true," Rowan said. "I felt a spell placed upon my spider. There's no hiding from it."

"Prove it then," Malty provoked. "As far as I can tell, you've got no proof."

A series out shouts startled them all.

"GET THEM OFF GET THEM OFF! HELP!"

A knight came bursting through the grove. He threw himself to the ground and started rolling frantically. "AAHHH!"

Something fell off of the man and Naofumi looked closer at it, he knew why the man was acting like that. The thing stood, revealing to be a tarantula of some kind.

"There's your proof," Rowan stated. He knelt down and cupped the tarantula in his hand.

"Alright," he called out. "You can leave him."

More spiders crawled off from the man and made their way back to the grove. The knight bolted up and ran back to his fellow knights.

"I… that's…" Malty stammered.

"Tough luck," Naofumi quipped. "You knew Motoyasu wouldn't win so you used magic."

Motoyasu's face morphed into a pained expression. "Wait? Really, Myne?" He addressed the princess using her adventure name.

Malty opened her mouth but then closed it. There was no escaping from this.

"They're right."

The voice came from behind Naofumi. They all turned and saw the same shadow lady.

"You guys appear whenever, huh?" Naofumi pointed out.

The shadow ignored his comment. "Before you rebuke their claims by accusing them of cheating, The Shield Hero only has support and healing magic. His apothecary friend has fire, healing, and status magic while the dancer has ice and illusion magic. As for the hunter, he can wield wind magic."

'_Did she know that before or after we met her?'_ Naofumi thought. During their fight with Legrand, Mina never used her illusion magic except for the time they fought that chimera. _'Then before.'_ He didn't like the fact they were being spied on.

"This will not go unnoticed by your mother and father," the shadow continued. "Word will be sent to each of them of your unjust taxation on Lute Village."

This made Malty flare up in anger. Naofumi thought she was going to yell at her. To his surprise, she turned her back to the shadow. "Very well. We'll leave."

At her words, the knights gathered their supplies and began heading out while Naofumi watched.

"You got lucky." Motoyasu came up beside him. He sneered down at him. "Don't think you've won this round. Next time I'll-"

"How are those jewels of yours?" Naofumi joked.

His team burst into laughter.

"You…" Motoyasu blushed crimson. "I'll get you next time!"

He left with the knights, limping as he covered his crotch.

"Well, that takes care of that," Rachel said. "Now what?"

Now what indeed. This whole debacle wasted any precious time they had. They could always go back to Castle Town. With a new party member, they would need new supplies.

"Sir Hero."

The village Lord and few villagers came up to them.

"I can't thank you enough again for saving our village. I know this has been a burden on you. We apologize for any inconvenience this caused you."

Naofumi's automatic response was to just wave it off like it was nothing. Only this time, he didn't feel any kind of contempt for the village. He did this because he wanted to. A goal from his heart.

"It's nothing."

The Lord looked surprised by his response. "Thank you. I'm sorry but I must go now and assist the villagers. Our town is still recovering from the wave attack."

He trotted off to assist some villagers.

Naofumi looked around properly since his last visit a few days ago. Most of the houses and buildings were stone but some were missing chunks. The wooden ones were a completely different story. Many were burned down or completely destroyed.

It'll take them a long time for the repairs to be completed.

Unless…

He looked back at his party.

"Listen, I know this isn't any of our business, but-"

"Say no more," Mina interrupted. "You want to help out. I don't mind."

"Hell yeah," Rachel said. "With four extra hands, we can double their work."

Naofumi turned his gaze to Rowan.

"I trust that Gareth can take care of himself," the hunter said. "Knowing him, he's probably at some alehouse somewhere. I don't mind the wait." He smiled reassuringly.

That was easier than he thought.

The people of Lute already look up to him as some savior. If he helped, then he'll have an entire village backing him up like in Westbrook.

Then it's settled.

He called out to the Lord.

"Let us help!"

* * *

(Forest of Sanctum)

* * *

The dragon gazed down below at the conundrum of trees and briars. This place is strange yet it somehow fits the environment. Perfectly fitting for the dragon he was looking for.

The sky had turned a foreboding gray. He could smell the rain from miles away. The smell mixed with the scent of blood. His blood.

As if his body was responding to his thoughts, his right hind leg flared in pain. The sudden discomfort nearly made him plummet to the ground but he gained his momentum.

'_Where is he?'_ he thought angrily. He never understood why the dragon chose this place to live among the mountains or caves spread throughout the land. The answer was because he could. The trees were dense enough that even the most skilled hunter could get lost. The dragon couldn't help but admire how carefully thought out his brethren's hiding place was.

He continued soaring through the sky all while looking for bright colors in the trees.

The land was beginning to rise until it became flat again. The gray clouds made it difficult to spot the bright colors. In pure sunlight, they were like a beacon of colors.

He kept searching and searching.

Then, he sees something. Something… orange. Then blue, then yellow, and purple.

That's it!

He descended until he reached a clearing. He made sure to focus his weight on his left hind leg. When his right leg touched the ground, he hissed in pain.

Those damned humans! If it wasn't for their gathering numbers, he could've easily slain them. Humans, demi-humans, beastmen, they were all the same in the eyes of the dragons. Easy prey. Creatures who relied too much on quick, irrational thoughts. Irrational thoughts that led to war and death. He was surprised the waves hadn't wiped them out already. Leave it to the creatures to band together and fight off the endless stream of monstrosities.

Better to leave them to their own devices. Unless they get involved with dragons. He learned that the hard way.

"Where are you?" He called out.

The wind blowing through the trees was his only answer.

"I need your assistance."

Again, the wind answered.

"Why have you come?" A deep, commanding voice echoed throughout the woods.

"Humans have taken my scales. I need you to patch the wound or it'll get worse. You know what will happen if I perish."

"Hmm… That would be quite troubling to the creatures. How many times have I told you to go somewhere far away from the creatures?"

"And how many times do I have to tell you that is impossible?"

"Ah, yes. The girl." His brethren hummed. "To think a dragon such as yourself is capable of caring for someone. You are the embodiment of poison. I'm surprised you haven't killed her yet."

"I am careful with her."

"Careful enough to leave her behind?"

"Don't get snippy with me!" The dragon growled. "She knows how to take care of herself."

"Then we'd best heal your wound now so you may get back to her."

A sudden gust of wind blew, shaking the tree branches.

Above, a figure came down until it was above the clearing.

Even with no sunlight, the dragon was bright with his multitude of colorful scales. The creatures had a name for this dragon. The Peacock Dragon. It was fitting. Dragons do not have names. Most go by without names while others chose their own.

The Peacock was the former. Which is what the dragon referred to him as. Peacock.

"Let me see your wound," Peacock asked.

Slowly, the dragon moved until his leg was in full view.

"And you said it was humans that caused this?"

"Yes. They had Bellatrix with them."

"And they attacked you because…"

"How should I know? Creatures do stupid things all the time."

"You do have a point. Very well."

Peacock reached with his hind leg to his neck and began scratching furiously. Scales cascaded down onto the wound like snow. Peacock stopped his scratching and the dragon noticed how the scales grew back quickly as if they were never gone, to begin with.

"You know what to do."

The dragon leaned his head to the would and licked it. The scales became syrupy against his tongue and slathered it as much as he could. The pain slowly faded away and the scales he was missing grew back. There was no wound.

"Thank you," the dragon said.

"Think nothing of it," Peacock said. "Do be more mindful of where you stay. I'd hate to have creatures come here for my scales because of something you did."

The dragon huffed and was about to fly when Peacock spoke.

"Before you leave, there is something I have to ask."

"What is it?"

"It's about the humans taking your scales. I'm worried about what they will do with them."

The thought of why they attacked him was strange. The legend of the Peacock Dragon was well known among the creatures. Should there be a plague threatening the land, brave travelers would venture into the Forest of Sanctum and ask the Peacock Dragon for his magical scales. Scales that are known to cure any sickness known to creature kind. Before, he'd given the creatures his scales without question. But when their greed took over and they started appearing in the woods even if there was no sickness. That was when the Peacock Dragon would then challenge the adventures to a fight for his scales.

So why did the humans attack _him_? He was no Peacock Dragon. Quite the opposite.

He could only guess why they would steal scales from him.

And it seemed Peacock thought of the same thing.

"I will not say this again," Peacock said. "Go somewhere desolate. Somewhere that is far, far, far away from any creature. If you are worried about your daughter, then maybe it's time for you to consider leaving her in the hands of caring, capable creatures. You are putting her life at risk should the humans come back and get more of your scales. Your entire existence is a plague upon this land. It's time to start considering what is best for the creatures and your daughter."

He hated how blunt, yet truthful Peacock's words were. He _is_ a threat to everyone. Even his daughter. When the humans had attacked him and taken his scales, she was away at the village gathering food for herself. When she came back and saw what had happened, he ordered her to hide in a barn until he returned.

Just thinking of what the humans might do with his scales is frightening. Creatures, though careless as they may be, are smart too. And their intelligence could rival that of a dragon's wrath, if not worse.

"Very well."

He didn't wait for Peacock to say anything as he sprang into the air.

"Do be careful, Gaelion." Was all Peacock said as he flew away.

Gaelion made his way out of Forest of Sanctum and flew in the direction of the village. He would talk to Wyndia about this. She needed to be safe and sound. Nowhere near him.

Whatever the humans were doing with his scales, he could only hope one of the Heroes would do something about it.


	22. Chapter 21

"Didn't expect to run into you here."

"Neither did I."

Ren leaned back in his chair and assessed Itsuki. It's been a while since he ran into him and if he's being honest, not much has changed of the guy. He still had that boyish look to him when they first met. Not that Ren expected him to change all that much. He sure didn't change at all during his time here.

The day started regularly for his team. They had just arrived back to Castle Town from a nearby village. In that village, he was prepping his team to fight a dragon that was roaming a village. Dragon Village. Their assignment had come from a hunting guild and he saw it as an opportunity to gain more levels for him and his team. Plus, there was the reward the hunting guild was offering.

However, a messenger falcon was sent from the guild to him. The note had said the dragon went away and hasn't been seen since.

That brought Ren's mood down a lot. So much so his party avoided any conversation with him. Not that he cared if they were avoiding him.

They gathered their supplies and headed back to Castle Town where Ren hoped there would be some kind of mission for him to do.

Instead, he ran into Itsuki at the inn he was staying in.

"So, how have you been?" Ren asked. They were in the dining area of the inn seated at a small table while their party was lounging in the main lobby.

"Good, more or less," Itsuki replied. "I've been out on different missions. Not much else has been going on. You?"

"Same." Ren sighed.

"What's wrong?" Itsuki wondered.

"Nothing. It's just a mission was canceled and now I'm pissed about it."

It felt good talking about it to someone. He'd always had that issue long before coming here. He was never sure if he should talk to anyone about his feelings or issues. His parents always welcomed any discussion with him. That and they'd baby him so much to the point where it got annoying and didn't go to them for anything. Something he regrets now and then.

This game was an escape from everything back home. Why of all times was he wishing to leave and go back? Things here are way different. The upside about living back home was the technology, accessibility to almost anything, and a sense of safety. Oh, and plumbing. Thank god Castle Town and other villages have plumbing.

The memory of having to squat over a chamber pot in one village was going to give him nightmares.

'_Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it,"_ he repeated in his mind.

God, he wishes he could just go back to his regular life.

Well, until then, he'll just have to tough it out here.

"Besides," he said, "I was thinking of having an audience with the King to ask if he can give me something to work on."

If his team is to get strong, then they needed tough missions.

Overall, they were a well-balanced team. Only two were behind a few levels but their strength and magical powers were more than enough to help. He made sure to recruit only the best and no newbie or fledging. The stronger the better. And with more party members, the stronger he'll become.

Speaking of party members.

"Did you hear about what happened to the captain of the royal knights?"

Itsuki, who was drinking from his mug, set it down. "Yeah, I've been hearing about that since I got here yesterday. Naofumi was the one who defeated him, right?"

"Yeah. And I hear he has a new party member. A beastmaster."

"Also, he's been helping around Lute Village."

Word quickly spread of Naofumi's heroics and generosity. Different than what Ren had expected from him. The man was accused of rape and yet he's been hearing nothing but good things about him. From saving Lute to helping that village with some sort of sickness, to stopping a corrupt captain, to saving Lute _again,_ it didn't make sense.

At least, that's what he thought until two days ago.

Ren had always thought of gossip as nothing else, just gossip. It was a waste of time to worry over something that probably isn't true or the words passed between people were somehow warped.

With Naofumi, he didn't question when the older boy was accused. Malty – or Myne, he reminded himself – was scared as she accused him. The look on her face, the distressed tone of her voice was enough to convince him.

Until…

Could he trust Itsuki with what he heard? It sounded like gossip when he first heard about it. But given how Naofumi's been acting lately, it's hard to believe what is true and what is false.

Screw it. It couldn't hurt.

"Listen," he started. "You know that dancer woman Naofumi is with, yeah?"

"Mina," Itsuki nodded. "What about her?"

"I ran into her dance troupe two days ago."

"You did?" This got Itsuki's attention. "And?"

"I figured if Naofumi could get a dancer on his team, I could get one too. They're good for any party. I got to speak to three of them and asked if any of them would join. Except…"

* * *

_Two days ago_

"No."

Ren was taken aback by the woman's straightforwardness. It was only one word yet it hit him like a punch.

"What do you mean no?" He asked.

"What I said, kid. No." The woman he was speaking to was dressed in a similar dancing garb like Mina was only in blue. Ren prayed he wasn't blushing.

Earlier that day, Ren and his party departed from the village and began their trek back to Castle Town. Along the way, he spotted colorful tents on the horizon and when they neared, he could see people in dancing clothes moving around.

That's when he remembered Mina. This must be the dance troupe she was with.

"Lula's!" Squealed one of his party members, Tersia.

Her eyes were wide and practically glittering with joy.

Come to think of it, he was curious about the dance troupe. If someone like Mina is capable of beating Motoyasu in combat, then maybe one of them will join him if he asked.

At least that was the plan.

He'd didn't expect any of the dancers to join immediately, but it didn't hurt to ask. He just wasn't expecting to be rejected on the spot.

"Can I at least ask why?" He asked the dancer?

The dancer chuckled. "You may be a hero, but you can't pick anyone to travel with you. It's up to us if we want to leave. Though we're under contract, we can leave whenever we want. And frankly, I'd rather stay here than travel with the King's pet."

King's pet?

'_What is she talking about?'_ Ren thought.

"Besides," the dancer next to the woman who was dressed more modestly fixed her gaze on him. "The Spear Hero came by a few days ago and tried to recruit some of us. I'd rather dance on nails than to join his party with that girl."

"Don't you mean that bitch?" The blue dancer laughed.

Ren was now even more confused. The last time he saw Motoyasu he had lots of women in his party. The only one that stood out among the was Myne.

Then that means…

"You mean Myne?"

"Myne, Malty," The modest dancer waved a hand. "Who cares what she's called. The point is, there's no way I would ever want to travel with her."

"I doubt anyone would," the other dancer, a petite woman with long blonde hair said. She was dressed in a long black skirt with floral patterns and a red lace top.

"What do you mean?" Ren asked.

All three of the dancers looked at him.

"You don't know?" The petite dancer looked surprised.

"Hah! All the more reason not to join you." The blue dancer tittered. "Surely you've heard the stories about her, haven't you?"

Before Ren could answer, the modest dancer beat him to it. "I'm going to guess no. And, if I might add, your crew hasn't said anything about her, have they?"

By now, Ren was getting annoyed.

"Just tell me what's going on?" He snapped. He hated it when people danced around a subject.

"Well," the petite dancer started. "Malty isn't exactly well-liked by some people. If anything, people like her younger sister than her. Malty has a rather… bad reputation."

This is new to Ren. Never did he hear anything bad about Malty. The only bad thing he did hear was her attempt to put a tax on Lute Village. Not that he cared what happened to a village of NPCs.

"She's nothing but a liar," The modest dancer said. "Her father babied her so much, she probably doesn't even know the first thing about running a country, let alone a village."

"Not to mention how terrible she is at pretending." The blue dancer said. "Word of advice, Sword Hero, stay away from that girl. All those good things people say about her? They're just lying through their teeth. Secretly, they despise her. She can live in her little world where her daddy loves her and so does everyone when really, no one likes her."

"But…" Ren couldn't come up with a rebuttal to their accusations. No. They didn't sound like accusations. They spoke of it like it was the truth.

He didn't know what to believe.

There was something he had to ask.

"You said I was the King's pet. What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I mean," the blue dancer said. "Melromarc is a matrimonial country. Meaning the Queen is in charge. The King is nothing but a regent with little power unless the Queen permits it. That old man may be the Staff Hero, but when it comes to power, Queen Mirellia is the one with the power. Ergo, you, the Spear Hero, and the Bow Hero are like pets to him, following his every word without knowing who's really in charge."

Again, Ren was at a loss for words. The time he's been in this game, he'd accepted the world the way it was. Didn't question anything about it other than gaining levels. And when Naofumi was accused, he believed it because it is what it is.

To hear these women speak badly about Malty made him want to defend her. Sure he didn't know her that much, but what reason would she have to lie?

Except for Naofumi's actions these past few weeks proved otherwise. Then there are his party members. They joined him despite knowing the accusation against Naofumi. Unless they never believed what was said about him.

This is stupid. He never liked rumors in the first place, and yet this game seemed to thrive off of them. What started as recruiting a dancer turned into a headache.

Two stories.

One was telling the truth.

The other was lying.

"What's going on here, ladies?" a voice called out.

Ren turned to the sound and his eye's widened.

A man stepped from around a tent and was dressed even less than the blue dancer. The male dancers he seen when he entered the camp were dressed in various clothes. Some were modest, others revealing. This man, however, was twice as revealing as the other dancers.

He was fair-skinned and had long brown hair adorned by a purple headdress.

He put a hand on his hip and looked at Ren inquisitively.

"My my," he said. "The Sword Hero? And to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Don't worry, Alistair," the blue dancer said. "He was just trying to recruit us. He probably figured we go with him as Mina did with the Shield Hero."

"Ah, now I see. I take it you told him about how we work, Ari?"

The blue dancer, Ari, nodded.

"Well then, Sword Hero. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your efforts are in vain. Even _if_ one of us decided to join you, we rather not get involved in the royal court when the Queen isn't here."

Ren fought the urge to scoff. This was a waste of time.

"Can someone explain what is going on here?"

'_More people?!'_

The voice came from behind and when Ren turned, he was approached by a woman dressed in a pastel dress. She looked around his mother's age but her steps were graceful yet powering like she was a confident CEO walking down the hall.

She took one look at the dancers then at Ren.

"Don't worry, Lana," Alistair said. "We were just explaining to our Cardinal Hero here that he can't just pick one of us to join him."

Lana raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" She looked to Ren and Ren felt a shiver go down his spine. The way she looked at him was the same look his mom gave him when he got a bad grade on a test: disappointment.

"Ren, is it? I've heard your name around here and there. Let me tell you something about my dancers. They are exotic birds. Human, demi-human, they are all beautiful and graceful. They are also deadly, ready to strike when in danger. We are not pretty trinkets you can pick out. I suggest you go think of people as they are: people with wants and feelings. If you have no other business here, leave. We are still on tour."

Her disappointed and intimidating look did it for him.

Ren turned on his heels and began walking. But not before hearing Lana speak.

"Alistair, good. I have a favor to ask you."

* * *

"Wow." Itsuki finished the last of his drink. "You got an earful from them."

"Tell me about it. I never thought NPCs could be this mean. Whoever made this game, they sure did a damn good job making these NPCs like actual people."

Just thinking about them was giving him a headache. But what stayed with him was what the dancers said about Myne. Is she a liar? If she wasn't liked by most of the people, then why did it seem like they adore her? And where is this other sister?

'_This would be a lot easier if I had some codex most games have.'_

There was no point in thinking about this any longer.

He was now curious about what Itsuki has been doing.

"And you?" He asked. "Anything interesting happen to you?"

Itsuki looked around him. Ren was a little confused by the boy's action. It was like he wanted to tell a secret. Never mind that the dining room at the inn was crowded and the patrons spoke over them.

Finally, Itsuki leaned in.

"I'm thinking about going after the Black Foxes."

Ren now understood the secrecy. He first heard about them a few weeks ago and when he asked his party about them, he wished he didn't. The Black Foxes are no ordinary group. They target bad nobles and killed them in brutal ways. They didn't just kill. They killed with a passion.

"You sure about that?" Ren wasn't one to question Itsuki's power. He checked the boy's stats and while he may be a few levels behind, his stats could easily take out monsters.

"Yeah I'm sure," Itsuki declared. "Those guys have been killing nobles for over 20 something years and no one has stopped them. If this keeps going on, they might decide to attack those in the royal court. Someone has to stop them. And it'll be me."

He sounded like he had a hero complex. As if he was some kind of hero of justice. Ren had his doubts, however.

"Good luck, then." He stood up from his chair. "I gotta go. We need more supplies."

"See ya." Itsuki waved a hand lazily.

Ren went to his party and told them of his plan.

Outside, the sun was beating down on their backs. Ren paid no mind to it as they made their way to the magic shop.

In the distance, he could see the Church. The Church of the Three Heroes was something he learned a few days after he got here. They worshiped the Spear, Bow, And Sword Heroes but not the Shield. That was in contrast to the Teachings of the Four Gods he has heard from different villages. The Teachings worshiped not only four gods, but also viewed the Cardinal Heroes as equals.

In a way, they were the same as Myne and Naofumi.

He sighed.

He didn't know what to believe.

* * *

**For this particular chapter, I wanted to write something different than Naofumi and Co. going off to somewhere else. While this is a short chapter, it does go a bit into what Ren thinks of everything around him, from Naofumi to Malty to even the different religions if briefly.**

**For Itsuki and the Black Foxes, things will get complicated. Though the Black Foxes are only mentioned from a few chapters ago, when you are introduced to them, you'll see just how brutal they can be. And if Itsuki can handle them or not.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Hello everyone. I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the others but rest assured, the next chapters will be longer. I wanted to do another chapter where we see a different perspective than Naofumi and his party.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"Meeting adjourned. That is all."

The Demi-human Werner borrowed, bought, and stole all the willpower he had left to not sigh in relief. Doing so would earn the ire of the other representatives. Never mind that some disliked him for being a Demi-human. It came with the price of being in politics. Trained from a young age, Werner knew the ins and outs of every political regime of each country. From the unified country of Shieldfreeden to the corrupt kingdom of Melromarc, to the magical and advanced kingdom of Innis, Werner made sure to know how they operate.

Today's meeting had to do with Melromarc. More specifically, how Melromarc went and disobeyed the summoning rules. Queen Mirellia Q Melromarc had been under scrutiny from other countries and kingdoms for essentially going against sacred rules of summoning the Four Cardinal Heroes. Several times during the meeting, Werner had glanced at the Queen and though she kept an impassive face, her eyes spoke volumes. Sometimes her lips would give a twitch, like she was holding back a frown.

For once, Siltvelt was not the main focus of the meeting. The country had never been on the good graces of the others. The animosity between them was palpable. So when the meeting had turned to the Church of the Three Heroes, Werner almost smiled.

For the better of an hour, Queen Mirellia had argued that she will handle the Church of the Three Heroes and to not worry about them. If there's one thing Werner never understood about Melromarc was the Church of The Three Heroes and the Teachings of the Four Gods. Two religions clashing against each other like swords. One was about unification while the other had a false god preaching hate for the Shield Hero.

If Werner had it his way, he would argue with the Queen on officially disbanding the Three Heroes Church and its teachings. How dare they desecrate his God? He sneered every time that accursed religion was brought up.

The only one who didn't voice their opinion was the Queen of Innis, Mirabella.

Werner may not be so loving to humans, but he had to admit that Mirabella was beautiful. At the ripe age of twenty-one, she ruled over an entire kingdom with all kinds of people, cultures, and backgrounds. Throughout the meeting, she impassively listened to each representative. Her eyes could go to one representative to the next. When her eyes landed on Werner, he glanced the other way, praying she hadn't noticed him staring. He found it curious as to why she hadn't said anything. Innis was far more advanced in many ways. From their magic to their military, to the technology, Mirabella had the most influence of them all.

So why hadn't she said anything?

Werner made a note to have a spy sent to Innis and see what is going on. He made another note to have the spy stay away from the capital. If Mirabella were to ever find out about the spy, no doubt Werner and all of Siltvelt would know the wrath of the Queen of Silence.

With the meeting now over, Werner was one of the first few to leave the room. Outside, guards with muskets lined the hall. They paid no mind to him or the other representatives. They were all in Faubley, the second powerful country behind Innis. Werner wished Siltvelt was more like Innis. Maybe then the Shield Hero – their God – would be willing to come. Maybe stay forever.

Werner walked down the hallway and into another until he was in a different wing of the building. This particular wing was his. Each representative had their own wing. Werner opened the door to his room and he was greeted by a lion Beastman. Jaralis.

"What the humans have to say?" Jaralis asked, takinga bite out of a cooked chicken left by a maid.

"Nothing of importance," Werner replied. "It was mainly about the Church of the Three Heroes and what Mirellia would do about them."

Jaralis sneered. "That church. We should raise an army and destroy that religion one and for all!"

"Settle down, Jaralis," Werner warned. "Need I remind you that we are in foreign land where anything said here could be used against us. I'd rather not have an entire country raid us. In due time, we will have the Shield Hero on our side."

"But when?" Jaralis countered. "As of now, the Shield Hero has given no indication of even traveling to Siltvelt. No doubt its because of those humans he's traveling with."

Werner was ready to argue back but he couldn't. When he heard from his spy that their God was traveling with humans, Werner had been shocked. That shock then turned to confusion. The man was literally a savior to all Demi-humans. Why is he traveling with humans of all people? Surely a Demi-human must've approached him. Or at least the ones who weren't indentured servants or wrose.

Jaralis took Werner's silence as conformation. "See? Thanks to them, our God has strayed from his path. Those humans who accused him of being a rapist to that bitch princess have no idea what they're in for. We'll teach them a lesson."

"Now you're sounding like someone who is with the Black Foxes," Werner said. He went to the dresser his room was provided with and pulled out a coat. Winter winds still blew by despite it being spring and Werner did not like the cold at all.

Jaralis flinched at the mention of the elusive group. Several times in the last twenty years, the Black Foxes has targeted several Siltvelt nobles. At first, the people believed the Black Foxes were on their side. They had freed Demi-humans from servitude and slavery. That is until one day, they struck a powerful noble Demi-human family and freed their human slaves. Werner had only been eight when it happened and overheard his parents talking about it. How they decapitated the nobleman and noblewoman. How they gouged out their eyeballs. They didn't just kill them. They tortured them. Since then, Siltvelt had been more mindful of how they treat humans much to the anger of the citizens. The Black Foxes had instilled a fear in them all.

"There are bigger things to worry about." Werner changed the subject. "We must find some way to extend a hand to Naofumi. Or at the very least, convince him to invite a Demi-human to his party."

From his seat on the vanity, Jaralis chuckled dryly. "I would do things a different way."

Werner did not miss the anger and darkness lurking in the beastman's voice. He glanced at his companion and wondered what was going through his mind. He had appointed the lion as his bodyguard to all meetings and each time they returned, Jaralis had more reasons to hate not just the humans, but also the other countries. Especially Shieldfreeden and Innis.

"Our kind consorting with theirs," Jaralis had muttered one day. Shieldfreeden and Innis had equality between the species. Even interspecies relationships and marriages were common there. Most notably, Werner remembered the Archmagus' daughter is in a relationship with a Demi-human. In Melromarc of all places.

Werner sighed.

'_So many things wrong,'_ he thought. _'Is there a way to fix anything?'_

He looked to the window of his room and the sun was beginning to set. He and Jaralis would stay here for another two days before leaving to Siltvelt. Faubley wasn't a bad country to be in. Though he could do without all the smoke from the industrial plants. He turned his focus to a full-length mirror next to the dresser. His flashy red hair and red feathers were remarkably well kept. As a Shusaku, he couldn't let anyone see him unkempt.

"I'm gonna go get something to eat somewhere else." Jaralis stood. "All these fancy meals are too small."

When the lion left, Werner allowed himself to relax. Today has been uneventful save for the meeting. Perhaps he shall go outside and look around. Jaralis didn't need to be with him all the time. Despite how he looks, Werner does know how to protect himself.

Leaving his room, Werner makes it halfway through the hallway when something outside catches his eye. The window was large enough for him to see a carriage pulling up to the embassy. An electric carriage, Werner notices. There was no horse and the front of the carriage was boxed with a man holding on to the steering Wheel.

There was only one person who would drive in one.

Queen Mirabella came into view, descending down the steps flanked by four guards. Two were human, one was a Demi-human, and the last was a wolf beastman.

Werner recalled hearing from another representative that Mirabella had to leave today to attend matters at Innis. He watched as the Queen stepped into the carriage followed by her guards.

The last guard to enter was the Demi-human. It was a woman. Or rather, a young-looking woman who was probably in her early twenties. Something about her was odd. She wore the basic Innisian armor with the emblem on the front. She wore no helmet so her ears were visible with long brown hair reaching her back. Looking at her ear and tail revealed she was a half-breed. Part of her was Tanuki. The other he didn't know. She kept one hand on the hilt of her sword as she stepped inside the carriage.

The man at the front veered the carriage onto the street. Werner watched at the carriage grew smaller and smaller until it was gone.

* * *

The sound of coughing nearly drove the nurse mad. The second where it seemed like it would stop, another person would cough violently. She hurried over to the person and covered his mouth with a cloth.

She didn't say anything. What could she say? It's going to be easy? It'll go away soon? That's what she said to the earlier patients who came in the morning. It was now nighttime and half of the hospital was filled with sickly people. Some were running fevers while others coughed violently, shaking their bed.

The doctor came running in holding several vials. The nurse nearly cried with joy at seeing the glass vials. She took half of them from the doctor and began administering them to the patients. But it wouldn't be enough. It will only hold off the symptoms until they returned.

The doctor slumped down in a chair, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead from all the running he did.

In the morning, one person came in with a fever. Now, more then thirty people filled up the room.

What the hell is happening?

* * *

**Can you guess who Werner was looking at?**

**And what is happening with all those sick people?**

**Stay tuned.**


	24. Chapter 23

The curved dagger not only looked beautiful, but deadly.

Naofumi watched Mina inspect the dagger, turning it over in her hands. The silver blade had runes on both sides. Tabitha – the magic shop owner – said those were fire runes.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get ice daggers for you," Tabitha sighed. "I know ice is your affinity, but you shouldn't have trouble using it. And it does increase your magic!"

Mina still kept inspecting the dagger. Then, in one swift motion, she thrust the dagger, like she was stabbing someone. Wisps of fire followed the direction of where the dagger was.

"Excellent." Mina set the dagger on a display case. "It's nice of you to offer them to us on such short notice."

"Oh don't worry. After I head you helped with the restoration of Lute, the least I could do was show them to you. You're more than welcome to look for more stuff."

Naofumi wanted to give the lady a big hug for her help. She and the medicine shop guy, Tomas, and Elhart are the only shop owners who gave them the supplies they needed. Had he not helped Lute, they wouldn't give him the time of day. Except for Elhart.

"Is there anything else you got?" Naofumi asked. Something he noticed when looking at his party's stats, they would need weapons and accessories that would help with them.

He went over their stats in his mind.

* * *

**Rachel Adlehart**

**Age: 22**

**Class: None**

**Occupation: Apothecary**

**LV: 35**

**HP: 2,146**

**MP: 201**

**PHYS ATK: 504**

**ELEM ATK: 322**

**PHYS DEF: 325**

**ELEM DEF: 215**

**SPEED: 250**

**CRITICAL: 145**

**Equipped Weapons: Silver Axe. Increases PHYS ATK 488 to 504**

**Equipped Accessories: None**

* * *

**Mina Kaldori**

**Age: 24**

**Class: None**

**Occupation: Dancer**

**LV: 35**

**HP: 1,841**

**MP: 254**

**PHYS ATK: 290**

**ELEM ATK: 436**

**PHYS DEF: 142**

**ELEM DEF: 247**

**SPEED: 352**

**CRITICAL: 174**

**Equipped Weapon: Stinging Daggers. Increases PHY ATK 210 to 290. Increases SPEED 330 to 352**

**Equipped Accessories: None**

* * *

**Rowan Blake**

**Age: 21**

**Class: None**

**Occupation: Hunter**

**LV: 40***

**HP: 2,022**

**MP: 230**

**PHYS ATK: 520**

**ELEM ATK: 282**

**PHYS DEF: 345**

**ELEM DEF: 200**

**SPEED: 325**

**CRITICAL: 298**

**Equipped Weapons: Nomad Bow. Increases PHYS ATK 500 to 520. Increases CRITICAL 280 to 298**

**Equipped Accessories: Wind amulet. Strengthens Wind magic. Increases ELEM ATK 250 to 282**

***Must get class upgrade for level progression**

* * *

They each have their strengths and weaknesses. If they were to buy weapons and accessories, then they have to buy the right ones that would fit them well with their stats while increasing their lower ones.

'_Maybe for Rachel,' _Naofumi thought, _'I can try to ask Tabitha if she has any magic axes. That should increase her elemental attack. She's also slow too. Not too slow but I need her to be quick. Does Tabitha sell fire amulets?'_

"Hey, Naofumi."

'_Mina is our glass cannon. Great speed and magic attack but not enough defense. And her physical attack is pretty average even with her current daggers. She utilizes her ice and illusion magic well enough to fend off enemies. But her physical attack and defense could use some work.'_

"Um, Naofumi?"

'_Then there's Rowan. He's an interesting one. Great speed and physical attack. And a near 300 crit, that could take out enemies quick. On the other hand, his elemental attack is low along with his elemental defense. He'll be quick to dodge them but if he gets hit it won't be good. Does Tabitha have magic bows too? And more magic amulets?'_

*flick*

A finger flicked him on his forehead, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Hey!"

"Good, thought we lost you there for a moment," Mina stood in front of him, her hand raised.

"If you're done with your daydreaming," Rachel said, holding a coin pouch. "Let's buy some stuff. We could use them after the Legrand fiasco."

Naofumi pulled out his menu and looked at their money. They had just enough to buy things. More than enough. But they needed to save should they come across expensive weapons or charms.

"Sure," he stood. "We could use some of this stuff."

"Good!" Tabitha cried out. "I'm so glad you've become a regular here. If there's anything you need, feel free to ask me. I'm only ten years away from my twilight years, but I'm still kicking and ready to help!"

She sounded like a cheerful grandma that kids would love. Naofumi smiled. "Thanks."

While his team looked through the items, Naofumi wandered the little store. It was cramped in some places but it was cozy. Bookshelves that reached the ceiling were filled with tomes and other books. Mounted on the walls were different magic weapons.

He went to a bookshelf and pulled out a tome. The leather cover was embroidered with runes and in the center was a lightning strike symbol.

Lightning magic. That much was obvious to anyone. Not like he could use it. He put it back and pulled out another one. This one had swirling symbols. Wind.

"Something caught your eye?" Tabitha came up to him.

"No," Naofumi put back the book. "Just looking at all of your tomes. Is this bookshelf nothing but tomes?"

"Yes. Specifically, tome magic."

"Tome magic?"

"Oh, has no one told you about tome magic?"

When Naofumi didn't answer, she continued. "Before I tell you, how familiar are you with magic?"

"Not much, unfortunately," he replied dejectedly.

"Well, how about a little magic lesson?" She said invitingly.

If she was offering, who was he to say no.

"That'd be great, thanks."

"No problem, sweetie. Let's get your friends so they can help explain."

Friends. The word was becoming more comfortable for him to hear.

'_They _are_ my friends.'_

He met up with the others near the back where Tabitha stood behind a display case. Resting on the case was a tome.

"I'll try to keep it simple for you to understand," Tabitha began. "To use magic, we must be connected to mana. The land is enriched in mana, allowing anyone to tap into it and manipulate it. Because of that, every person in the land is capable of using magic. Even if you have a low elemental attack, you can still use it for a variety of things other than offense.

"Each person had a special affinity to one or two kinds of magic. There are fire, ice, lightning, wind, water, earth, light, and dark magic. Your friends are attuned with one kind of magic. That doesn't mean they aren't capable of learning other kinds. It will take time though, but with enough training and the right tome they can learn just about anything."

She pushed forward the tome. "Tome magic is different than regular magic. Tomes are used by mages who draw in the mana of each tome to use. Say if someone has an affinity for earth magic, they can use tomes to use different kinds of magic. If their enemy is weak to fire, they can use a tome to strike that weakness. Each tome is different but is very much useful."

Naofumi reached for the tome and opened it. He still couldn't read the language. He flipped through the pages and with each page, he could feel more of the mana residing in the book. He couldn't describe it, but it felt like he was touching energy. A low vibrating kind of energy.

"Can I use magic?" he asked.

"Technically, you already do," Rowan said. "Your shield lets you use different kinds of magic."

"Think of all the times you used it to fight back or defend us," Rachel stated. "You draw in the mana from the land and the shield. You're a magic-user at this point."

True, but…

"You're wondering if you can use the types of magic I mentioned, right?" Tabitha asked.

"Yes. It's one thing to use the shield, it's another to use other types of magic. If I can learn it, then it'll be helpful for us in the long run."

"Very well."

Tabitha crouched down, rummaging through stuff before coming back up with a crystal ball. "This here is used to determine what magic you have an affinity for. You came from a land where there is no magic, correct? Since you've been in this world for a couple of weeks, you should already have mana inside of you to use. Just place your hand on the ball and it'll determine what you can wield."

The crystal ball looked foggy on the inside. Normally crystal balls he was used to were clear and reflective. He couldn't see his reflection nor see the other side through it.

He put his right hand on the crystal. Nothing happened for a few seconds. It didn't have the same vibrating feeling the tome had.

Then, the fogginess started to clear. That's when he felt the same vibrating feeling. The fog cleared away revealing flashes of yellow. Streaks of yellow shot from different parts of the crystal.

Like lightning.

He removed his hand from the crystal. "Does that mean I…"

"Congratulations, Naofumi!" Tabitha cheered. "You can use lightning magic!"

Magic. He can learn magic!

"Haha."

"Naofumi?" Mina looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Haha."

Naofumi shot both his hands in the air.

"Fuck yeah!"

His team and Tabitha looked utterly surprised by this.

"I can use magic!" Naofumi shouted. "Now I don't have to rely on my shield all the time. I can help you guys out!" He felt utterly giddy at the declaration.

Nothing could stop him now.

"I don't mean to cast dispersions on your little celebration but," Mina gently grabbed his arms and lowered them down. "You are aware that your stats are mainly to your defense, not offense. Meaning…"

She didn't need to finish the sentence to know what she meant.

"No no no." Naofumi shook his head furiously and looked at his stats.

**Naofumi Iwatani**

**Age: 20**

**Class: Shield Hero**

**Occupation: Cardinal Hero**

**LV: 40**

**HP: 3,544**

**MP: 350**

**SP: 432**

**PHYS ATCK: 140**

**PHYS DEF: 760**

**ELEM ATCK: 140**

**ELEM DEF: 760**

**SPEED: 245**

**CRITICAL: 300**

He knew his physical and elemental attack was low, but he didn't think they were this low! At level 40 no less!

He crumpled down to the floor. "UGGGHHHH!"

"Is he OK?" Rowan asked nervously.

"He's just going through a crisis," Rachel answered. "He'll be fine."

"I'm not fine!" Naofumi shot back up. "What's the point of me knowing lighting magic if my elemental attack is low? That be like using a stick against a rock monster!"

"Unless you were using a magical stick."

"Not helping!" He turned to Tabitha. "Please tell me there's a way to increase my magic. Anything!"

Tabitha hummed as she pondered. "There are different ways. Two of the most common ones are using your lighting magic to kill enemies or mixing magical flowers into a drink."

"Really?" If it's that simple, then the next time they're up against a monster, he'll let the others weaken it and he'll finish off. "What about the flowers? Are they like regular flowers you find?"

"Yes and no," Tabitha answered. "Yes, you can find them just about anywhere but no because they don't follow the seasons."

"What do you mean."

"These magic flowers grow not based on the season but based on the amount of mana stored in them. You could be in a field of flowers as far as the eye could see in the springtime and only find five of them. They grow no matter the area and can be eaten by animals, allowing them to use magic. You can cultivate and sell them but they're sold at a very high price and there are several steps you need to follow if you want them to bloom. One mistake and they'll wither away."

"How will I know if they're magical or not?"

"It's easy. They're taller and bigger than regular flowers and they have an aura coating them. That's how you know they're magical. You take each petal, tear them into small pieces, and grind them. You then put the powder into water mixed with honey and there you have it: A magical drink that will increase your elemental attack."

Naofumi took several mental notes. If they're hard to come by, he'll have to rely on defeating enemies with his magic for now.

"Thanks. You've been nothing but helpful to us."

Tabitha blushed. "No need to thank me, dearie. I have you to thank for saving my grandchild and Lute. What with that princess and Spear Hero causing trouble, we need someone like you and your friends. You're always welcome here day or night. In fact," She went over to where Mina had placed the rune daggers. "Why don't you take this free of charge." She handed them to Mina.

Mina took the daggers. "Are you sure? I'd be more than willing to pay for them."

"I insist."

"Thank you, then." Mina tucked the daggers into her leg strap.

**New weapon equipped: Fire Rune Daggers**

**Strengthens fire magic**

**PHYS ATCK: 290 to 300**

**ELEM ATCK: 436 to 452**

'_Nice,' _Naofumi thought. "Guess that's it then. Thank you."

"My pleasure," Tabitha said, smiling. "Oh, and one more thing. The merchant who I usually get my supplies from is here in Castle Town. If you get the chance, stop by the bazaar. She won't be hard to find. She might have more magical weapons than I do."

The team left the magic shop, the door closing behind them.

"Now that we're done here, let's go to Elhart," Naofumi said.

"One good thing came out of this," Rowan said as they walked to the weapons shop. "You can use lightning magic! That's great… right?" He looked uncertain in the last part.

"Great, yeah but there the issue of my elemental attack. What good can I be if I have to rely on my shield all the time? If there's a monster that's weak to lightning then I should use it."

"Relax," Rachel put a hand on his shoulder. "You'll have time to increase your magic as we go along on our adventure. Besides, we're all due for a class upgrade soon. We should focus on that."

Naofumi remembered the little asterisk on Rowan's level stat, saying he needed a class upgrade if he wants to level up some more.

"You need that to level up, right?" he guessed.

"Yep. Not that everyone does that but since we're with you, we'll have to level up if we fight in more waves."

Speaking of waves, Naofumi opened his menu and looked at the timer countdown for the wave.

**-:-:-**

There was no time. When they were in the caves hiding from the bandits, Rachel did say the waves were sporadic. And it's been nearly a month since the last one.

If that were the case then they can worry about other things than the waves.

When they reached the shop, Naofumi saw someone was inside through the door window. Pushing open the door, he saw a woman speaking with Elhart.

Her back was facing him but her long dark blue hair cascaded down to her back ending just below her shoulder blades.

Elhart notices him and waves.

"Hey there, kid!"

The woman turns and Naofumi could finally see her face. She looked young, probably in her mid-twenties. Her eyes were a bright pink rimmed with eyeliner. She wore a brown beige tunic with intricate patterns. Her left sleeve ended at the wrist while the right ended at her elbow. She wore burgundy pants and black sandals.

"Glad you're here," Elhart exclaimed. "I wanna introduce you to someone."

The woman stepped forward. "So, you're the Shield Hero I've been hearing about." She playfully winked at him. "You've definitely exceeded my expectations. You're not plain-looking but also not over the top. I like that."

"Um… thanks?" Was that supposed to be a compliment?

"What I tell ya," Elhart says to the woman. "This kid here isn't what he seems. Watch, he'll be one of your best customers, I swear."

"Customer?" Naofumi asked.

"Guess I should introduce myself." The woman cleared her throat. "The name's Coco. Traveling merchant at your service. I like money, unique items, money, bargaining, money, haggling, and money. Nice to meet ya!" She held out her hand.

Naofumi reached and shook her hand. Before he would just shrug in response but things have changed. Coco doesn't seem like the type to swindle him if she was being honest about loving money.

"OK then," Elhart said. "What do you-" he stops when he sees Rowan.

The hunter shyly waves.

"Another one?" Elhart asks.

"Yeah," Naofumi says. "So what?"

"I swear every time you come to visit you have another person with you. Is this going to be a reoccurring theme with you or what?"

"Maybe," he replied.

"Guess so." Elhart moves around the counter and comes up to Rowan. "You're a hunter."

"Y-yes. I am." Rowan says.

"Then you need a good bow. Come look here." He walks over to a shelf with bows. Rowan follows, leaving the group with Coco.

"So," Naofumi crosses his arms. "What kinds of things do you sell?"

"Lots! I'm no ordinary merchant. If you're looking for something rare, chances are I have it or know someone who does." She waves a finger. "I have lots of people who buy from me. Weapons, items, rare medicine, tomes, magic weapons, you name it! I guarantee you a great offer at a reasonable price."

"That so?" Having someone like her would be essential.

The only problem is Naofumi doesn't know the first thing about merchants. Video games and anime offer only so much. Haggling and bargaining are foreign to him.

He looks over to where Elhart and Rowan are. The weapons dealer gave Rowan a sturdy looking bow. He accessed his menu and examined the bow.

**Knights Bow**

**Increases PHYS ATCK**

Further reading says the bow only increases Rowan's physical attack by 10 points but doesn't add to his critical damage. It'll be a waste of money to buy it.

"I see what you're doing," Coco says.

"Doesn't everyone do that?" Naofumi closes the menu.

"You'd be surprised by how many people buy weapons just for appearance. You and your friends have some strong weapons. I just happen to have stronger ones." She smirks.

Now he was intrigued. "How strong?"

"Why don't you come by my shop and see for yourself?"

Naofumi then realized she just convinced him to look at her ware without even putting in that much effort.

'_Damn she's good.'_

"Hey, Elhart," Naofumi calls out. "We're going to check out Coco's shop. Before we go, anything interesting happened while we were gone?"

Elhart put the bow away and Rowan rejoined the group. "Not really. I've been getting orders left and right the past few days, I haven't heard any news. Although, you might want to stop by Tomas' shop. Lots of people have been visiting his shop lately and he looks like he hasn't slept a wink."

"Really?" Rachel steps forward.

"Really. I had a break in orders and went out to eat something when I saw him. I tried to talk to him but he had to go back to his shop. Whatever's got him worried, it doesn't sound good. Do me a favor and check on him when you're done with Coco."

Naofumi nods. "Will do. See you around."

"Take care kid. Nice to meet ya, Rowan."

"L-likewise," Rowan responded.

Outside, Coco began looking at them individually.

"What?" Naofumi asks.

"Nothing. Just that your group is very mismatched. An apothecary, a dancer, and a hunter. You sure do know how to pick them."

"Ha, I can't disagree with you on that," Mina chuckles.

"This is perfect for me! With a group like yours, I can sell all kinds of weapons you need. Now then, follow me."

Like a school teacher leading their kids, she ushered them to the bazaar.

"She's kinda strange," Naofumi whispers.

"Maybe," Rachel put her hands behind her head. "But if she has rare weapons we could use, then who cares if she's a little eccentric."

"Also," Mina adds. "If we earn her good graces, she'll be more inclined to sell her stuff to us. Maybe at a discount."

"That sounds like a good idea," Rowan says.

Soon they reached the bazaar. Stalls were crowded closely together with lots of merchants trying to get the attention of people passing by.

"Here we are!" Coco goes to a massive market stall that could easily fit in fifteen people. Weapons, items, and many more things decorated the stand.

Naofumi took a look at her items then at the other stands. Compared to theirs, Coco had rarer items. Where one person was selling silk, Naofumi saw different kids of silk Coco was selling. One merchant was selling makeup, whereas Coco had a display shelf lined with all kinds of makeup.

Most notably were the weapons. From swords to axes to bows, they were out in full display for everyone to see. Each weapon looked to be well crafted and designed. There was even a katana among them!

He lets out a whistle. "Wow."

"I know right!" Coco goes around the counter. "Anywho, welcome to my shop! Feel free to look at everything. And since you guys are first-time customers of mine, you get a 40% discount on your entire purchase."

40%! That's perfect.

His team began to go through her wares. Naofumi stayed at the front and watched them. They would know what they need. He, on the other hand, didn't need much.

"So," Coco rested her elbows on a counter. "How's it been for you, Naofumi?"

That's an odd question coming from a random merchant.

"Why ask?" Naofumi picked up a silver bracelet with several beaded charms.

"What's not to ask? You saved Lute from a wave, helped cure sickness in Westbrook, and you got a captain thrown in jail for corruption! Word gets around quickly. I should know. How are you after all of that?"

That's a good question.

"Fine." That was the truth. There were still people who hated him but the ones he helped make up for that. His friends were also a big help. Things might still be difficult for him, but as long as he has his friends and continues to do good deeds, it'll get better.

"That's good," Coco said. "You know, seeing you now up close, you're not like what some people said."

"Let me guess. They said I was a monstrous rapist with no regard for human life?"

"Close enough. Actually," she ducked down and rummaged through a box pulling out a paper. "I found this in a village."

Naofumi took the paper and the second he saw the drawing on it, he wanted to crumple it. It was a crude drawing of him. There were words written underneath the drawing but he couldn't read it.

"That's how you are in some areas," Coco took back the paper. "I only heard rumors about you but after talking to Elhart, I knew you couldn't be some kind of monster. Trust me, I have a keen eye for people. It's how I stay afloat as a merchant. Looking at you now, I don't see the monster other people see."

Monster. Was that how they saw him?

He gripped the edge of the counter. What do they know? He could save the entire capital from a wave monster and they'll still hate him. To his left, he could see a church with three spires reaching out to the sky. Each spier was built differently from each other to represent the bow, sword, and spear. The Church of the Three Heroes.

'_What did the Shield Hero ever do to you?' _He thought bitterly.

Sighing, he shifted his gaze back to Coco's shop. The bracelet he grabbed was one of many accessories that were displayed in a wide velvet box. They all looked well crafted.

"Like my handiwork?" Coco picks up a golden hairpin decorated with small red gems. "They're more than just accessories. They help with your stats. This hairpin boosts fire magic. And the bracelet you were holding boosts your defense."

"Really?" He picks up the bracelet again.

**Iron Bracelet.**

**Boosts PHYS DEF.**

Then he looks at the hairpin Coco was holding.

**Blazing Hairpin.**

**Boosts Fire Magic.**

"And you made these?"

"It's pretty easy when you put in the effort." Coco waves a hand at all of the accessories. "Crafting was how I started my business. When you learn the basics of crafting, you can make accessories that help you and your team. Do you want to learn?"

"Yes!" Naofumi eagerly said.

"Well then," Coco takes out a book from a shelf and hands it to him. "I don't know if you've gotten around to learning the language, but your friends can translate what the book says. It's a beginner's guide to crafting. I'll even add these." She goes to the back of the stall and retrieves a tool bag and a small pouch.

"These tools are made for crafting. And this pouch has gems that can boost elemental magic. It won't increase a lot but it'll give you guys the needed strength, both physical and elemental. And if you're ever in any town and I happen to be there, I'll have new items to sell. Meaning more accessories for you to craft."

"This is…" Naofumi stared in wonderment at the items. "This is great! I don't know what to say."

No, there is one thing he has to say.

"Why help me? Isn't it going to hurt your business if the Shield Hero is a customer of yours?"

"Tsk," Coco scoffs, "Like I care what others think. Besides, a friend of Elhart is a friend of mine. If you're worried about my business, don't be. Regardless if people know you're a customer, they'll still buy stuff from me because of how rare they are. Elhart and the magic shop owner, Tabitha, buy a lot from me since I have access to weapons and tomes."

"Then you're the merchant Tabitha mentioned?"

"Yep! You'd be surprised by how many blacksmiths, magic shop owners, and apothecaries buy from me. Where ever I go, I always have items fresh in stock to sell! How else do you think most of them are in business. Money makes the world go round and keeps people afloat. As a merchant, I have to focus on my customers and the items I'm selling. If I don't, I'd be out of business before I can even say profits."

Though he didn't know a single thing about being a merchant, Naofumi could see that Coco was no ordinary one.

"We're back!"

His team came to the counter each holding different items. Rachel had three vials of liquids and a small tub of cream, Mina was holding a black and white fan, and Rowan had a quiver with blunt arrows in them. They placed their items on the counter and Coco began to tally up the cost.

"Let's see here. All of this together normally costs 150 gold coins, but with your 40% discount, it comes to 60 gold coins!"

Ouch. Naofumi could hear their coin pouches screaming. It did cost a lot of gold.

Rachel reached into her satchel and pulled out a leather hide wallet. "How much will it cost in talents?" In her hand was paper money.

"You guys have a paper currency?" Naofumi stared bugged eye at the money. In all the fantasy games he's played, very little of them had paper currency. It was all coins.

"Yeah?" Rachel eyed him. "It's not adopted in every city or village, but some places do accept talents."

"It's true," Coco says. "You have to go to major cities to find businesses that accept talents. Even Castle Town has places where you can use them. Now, if you're using talents, then it'll cost you 20 talents."

Rachel flipped through her money and gave Coco two different colored talents.

"Perfect! That completes your order!"

Naofumi gathered his tools and book in his arms. They'll have to stop by their wagon to put his stuff away. The others can hold their own.

"Wait!" Coco's shout made Naofumi nearly drop his stuff. "Before you guys go, here. Take these. Consider them on the house."

She pushed forward three accessories. Two of them were the Iron Bracelet and Blazing Hairpin while the other was a leather band with a green gem on it. "It'll take a while for you to get used to crafting, so I figured you could use these in the meantime to help your team."

Naofumi had to adjust his stuff to grab the accessories. He focused on the leather band.

**Wind Leather Band.**

**Boosts wind magic. Increases ELEM ATCK.**

Perfect for Rowan!

"Thanks. We'll see you again soon, I hope."

Coco winked. "That you will! Bye-bye for now!"

* * *

The team walked to the direction of the stables where their wagon was. Since their mode of transportation was a spider, Rowan had told it to guard it along with other spiders. It was a weird security system but a good one nonetheless if people are scared of giant spiders.

"That turned out better than I had expected." Naofumi hefts his supplies, getting a better grip on them.

"And it seems like we've earned her good graces," Mina says. "With a merchant like her, we can buy new weapons and items."

"If they're affordable, that is," Rachel interjects. "If we're going to be buying from her often, then we have to help out people more."

"Actually," Rowan chimes in. "If we come across any hunting guilds, we could look and see if there are any monsters that need to be taken down. Since Gareth and I are well known to many guilds, finding a hunt shouldn't be hard."

"Guess being the apprentice to a famed hunter has its perks," Naofumi pointed out.

Rowan nodded. "It does. We may not be like the knights, but hunters help quell monsters."

They had finally reached their wagon and Naofumi deposited his things in it.

As he got out, he noticed Mina's new fan. "Why you'd get that?" He knew Mina used her fan as an extension of her magic, waving it while using her ice magic.

Mina smiled, opened the fan, and fluttered it, covering the bottom half of her face. The fan itself looked sturdy and well made.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Mina posed her body like she was beginning to start a routine.

Naofumi felt his throat dry.

"Y-yeah," he said sheepishly.

"Beautiful, yes."

_*Shink*_

Metal blades protruded from the fan.

"And deadly."

That's when Naofumi's menu popped up.

**Menacing Fan.**

**Increases PHYS ATCK 290 to 310**

**Increases CRITICAL 174 to 198**

"Good choice," Naofumi comments.

"Thank you."

"All right, now that my stuff is safe, let's go to Tomas'."

It took them ten minutes to get to the shop.

"Hey!" Naofumi calls. "Tomas! You in here?"

The man in question pops up from behind the counter.

"Oh, you guys. It's been a long time since you've been here."

"Sorry about that, Tomas," Rachel waves. "We've been busy. Elhart wanted us to see how you've been doing." She looks around, noticing most of the shelves were almost empty. "Busy day for you?"

"More like a busy week." Tomas groans. "I've been working my back carrying boxes and my legs are sore from climbing the ladder so many times, it's a miracle from the Gods that I'm still standing."

"What's wrong?" Naofumi asks. "Did you have a sale or something?"

"Not so much a sale. More like doctors coming to pick up orders. I swear I haven't seen this much worry since flu season."

"There's a flu?"

Tomas shakes his head. "No. Or, well, it's not the flu so much as something worse."

The air felt tense at his words.

"Worse?" Mina asks

"There's this village a few hours from here. The residents there started to become sick for no reason. What started as one patient soon turned to half the village falling ill. I only know about this from the doctor who lives there. Sent me a letter telling me all that's been happening there."

Naofumi felt a sudden sense of déjà vu. He didn't need to look to Rachel or Mina to know if they were feeling the same thing.

It was just like in Westbrook.

They had informed Rowan of what happened there when he joined. The hunter looked back and forth between Naofumi and Tomas. "Um, and your shop? Is this flu or whatever it is the reason why your shelves are nearly empty?"

"Yes. It's more out of precaution than fear. Some of them came from other villages to restock. I even got a few from Silvershore, though most of them I had to go to the post office to ship the medicine."

"What can you tell us about this village," Rachel sounded serious. "Anything?"

"Just what I read from the letter," was Tomas' response. "He said that the village went on lockdown and are only allowing other doctors and apothecaries to enter. Whatever's going there, I just hope it blows over quickly before the entire village gets sick."

Naofumi wanted to believe his words, but in the back of his mind, he knew this wouldn't go away without their help.

Without his Shield.

"Where's the village?"

* * *

An hour later, they were en route to the village, the plains passing by them as one of Rowan's spiders pulled the wagon.

"What do you think will happen when we get there?" Rowan asks from the front.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Naofumi replied. "Tomas said the village is on lockdown. But we can't be sure what type of illness it is."

"It has to be somewhere here," Rachel said while flipping through the pages of her medical book.

Before they left, Tomas had told them of what symptoms the village doctor has recorded. Fever, persistent cough, vomiting, and fatigue. It sounded like the flu. Except the flu doesn't cripple half a village population in a matter of days.

"This is strange," Mina says. "First there was Westbrook with the Frost Sickness, and now this. Honestly, I'm a little scared that something is spreading."

"Spreading or not," Rachel closed her book, "if there's anything we can do to help, then we must. If this flu or whatever it is can be spread, we have to find a cure fast."

Her words were laced with determination. Naofumi shared that determination with her. This newfound sense of conviction was certainly a strange feeling for someone like him who got through life with not much effort back home.

Here, however, he had to put in the effort to help people. It started to come naturally to him when he was needed.

'_Not everyone may like but, but I'll be damned if I let people get sick.'_

"I can see the village!"

Naofumi, Rachel, and Mina cautiously stood and moved to the front. They were on a hill and below was a village.

It looked like an ordinary village.

What stood out were the several black flags waving at the entrance.

* * *

**So in this chapter, I decided to go even further in breaking the original story in different ways. Aside from giving the magic shop owner and medicine shop owner names, there are some things I did differently.**

**The first being that Naofumi can use magic. Lightning magic. I wanted this because each party member has one affinity for magic. Rachel has fire, Mina has ice, Rowan has wind, and Naofumi has lightning; leaving the remaining members to have control of the other types of magic (water, earth, light, and dark).**

**The second is the stats for each member. I wanted to create a team where each member has their strengths and weaknesses. If you're confused by CRITICAL, it means that the higher the crit, the more often someone will land a critical hit and deals extra damage.**

**The third is the introduction of Coco. Coco replaces the role of the merchant Naofumi escorts. Coco is more of a reoccurring character who will show up all while selling special items.**

**I have loads of ideas for this story and while it will loosely follow the canon, most of it will be AU but still being connected to the canon in different ways. I am reading the light novels so I can get as much information as I can and to see how much of it I can change.**

**I hope you all enjoy the chapter!**


	25. Chapter 24

**Note: For the purpose of this AU, Gaelion is part of a sub-species of dragons. It makes it easier for me to write it this way so it can fit in this AU.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The black flags flapping in the wind are there for a reason, Naofumi thought. He wasn't an expert on illnesses even though his shield has healing properties. What he did know based on the flags and the two guardsmen standing by the village entrance was that this place was under quarantine.

"Is it even safe to go in there?"

They were overlooking the village on the crest of a hill. They were close enough to see the guardsmen who each had a cloth wrapped around their nose and mouth. In Japan, people wearing face masks were pretty common so Naofumi wasn't initially concerned about it. But those black flags were concerning.

"Maybe," Rachel says without looking at him. She kept her eyes on the village. "They're not going to let anyone in or out. That's a common procedure for something like this."

"Then we're just supposed to leave them be?" Naofumi asks.

"Not necessarily. There's no doubt their hospital is overflowing with patients. If I show the guards my certificate, they'll let us in. Who would say no to an apothecary?"

Naofumi nods. "True."

"What do you suppose it is?" Mina asks. "Is it something like in Westbrook?"

"I have no idea," Rachel shook her head. "There's no way two villages would get Frost Sickness. This is something different."

She was right. One village had a seasonal sickness and this one seemed worse. Tomas said half of the villagers were sick with this illness. That means there were children and elderly patients. And maybe some who had a weak immune system.

"Rowan, let's go," Naofumi ordered.

"Gotcha." Rowan flicked the reigns and the spider pulled them forward.

When they reached the entrance, the guards were surprised (a reoccurring theme, Naofumi notes) by the spider. Rachel hopped out of the wagon and approached them.

"Hi. Sorry about the giant spider, but I was hoping you would let us in." She digs around in her satchel and takes out a small paper. "I'm an apothecary. If you guys need help, then I'm your girl."

One of the guards took the paper and examined it. He lifted his head to look at Rachel, then at Rowan, Mina, and finally Naofumi. His stare lingered. Naofumi then realized he wasn't staring at him but his shield.

Damn. He knew that stare. Or rather, he knew that glare.

Was this bastard not going to let him in because he was the Shield Hero? Was he going to let innocent people die? This guard was scum.

Naofumi returned the guard's glare with one of his own. The guard flinched then looked back at the certificate.

'_That'll teach him,' _he thought bitterly.

"Y-yes," the guard handed back the certificate. "You may pass. But you have to wear a cloth mask at all times during your stay here." He gave her cloth pieces. "The hospital is that way." He pointed to a large two-story wooden building.

"Thank you," Rachel took the certificate. "Come on guys, let's go."

When they entered the village, Naofumi notices something odd. There wasn't anybody out. Doors were shut tight, windows had their curtains closed, and what looked like a tavern had their door shut too. It was early in the afternoon, the perfect time for people to be doing their daily tasks.

Naofumi wondered how many of them were empty because the inhabitants were in the hospital and how many of them were stuck home.

As they made their way to the hospital, a flash of movement caught his attention. A curtain was pulled halfway and a little boy was looking at them. When he turned his head toward the window, the boy quickly ducked, the curtain covering the window again.

Naofumi felt a flash of contempt. Not at the boy, but the Church of the Three Heroes. They were the ones who made him a devil. He couldn't tell if the boy was spooked because he was caught staring or if it was because of him. He hoped it was the former.

The village being eerily quiet unsettled him. He didn't want to imagine if this sickness is deadly enough to kill people. He changed his shield to the Leaf Shield. They were in for a lot of work.

When they reached the building, they wrapped their cloth pieces around their nose and mouth.

"Here goes." Rachel pushed open the door.

Naofumi was assaulted by the smell of vomit and urine. He almost reeled back at the scent but reigned it in. Rowan flinched but otherwise remained unbothered. Mina pinched her nose. He wasn't sure if that was going to going to help with the smell.

"Gods," Rachel muttered. "This is bad. And we're on the first floor. I can't imagine what it's like on the second floor."

"What kind of illness causes this?" Naofumi asks.

"A lot," Rachel's reply was grim. "Though I'm sure if I can find out what it is, we can cure them. Or at the very least alleviate their symptoms."

The doors closed behind them, causing the putrid stench to intensify. The only time Naofumi ever smelled something like this was in the restrooms near the train station. This time, it's worse.

A nurse dressed in grey was carrying vials in a basket when she noticed them.

"Yes?" She looked tense. She glanced over her shoulder at the stairs.

"Sorry to interrupt," Rachel put on her best brave voice. "My name's Rachel, and I'm an apothecary. We found out what was happening here. If it's not to much trouble, we can help you."

The nurse looked ready to cry from joy. "Yes, thank you!" She adjusted her grip on the basket. "We have enough medicine but we need stronger ones. Come."

She led them up the stairs into a spacious, large room, beds lining the walls. The odor was overwhelming. Nurses were carrying buckets around, patting patients on the backs, and giving them medicine.

Naofumi could see all kinds of people here. Men, women, children, and the elderly. All human. Each one in a state of illness. Pale and clammy looking.

"Jesus." He knew right then that this wasn't some flu. No, it was something different.

"Can you tell me their symptoms," Rachel asks the nurse.

The nurse sets the basket at a table and it was swarmed by other nurses, gathering vials and rushing back to the patients.

"It's standard flu symptoms. Fevers, chills, headaches, the usual symptoms. It started with only a few people. But now…" She looked mournfully at the many sick people in bed. "I don't understand how this happened or why it happened."

"Is that it?" Rachel took a few steps to a man resting in bed. "Looks like the flu. Anything else?"

The nurse was silent.

"What?" Mina pressed forward. "Are there more symptoms?"

"There are," the nurse says finally. "When people started coming in, it was just flu symptoms. But now," she went to where the resting man was and pulled up the left sleeve of his shirt. Blotchy patches of purple were scattered on the arm. A light purple that almost looked like a bruise.

"Wait." Rachel got a closer look at the man's arm. Her eyes widened. "What the fuck?"

"What is it?" Naofumi didn't like the sudden change in the tone of her voice. It was laced with bewilderment and fear.

"What the fuck?" Faster than anyone could blink, she took out her medical journal and opened it to a specific part.

She froze.

"Rachel," Naofumi went up to the woman. "What's going on?" Dread crept upon him.

When Rachel looked up, her wide eyes had fear in them.

"This is poison from a dragon."

"Dragon? What?" Naofumi peered over Rachel's shoulder to look at the journal.

There was a diagram of a dragon on one page and what he assumed to be the description of it on the next. The dragon, in contrast to the Peacock Dragon she showed them a while ago, was menacing. Whereas he remembers the Peacock Dragon to be colorful, this dragon seemed to be devoid of any color other than black and purple. Its black scales with purple undertones resembled some kind of armor, strong-looking with pointed ends.

"What does it say?"

Rachel placed a finger on the description. "It's a grim dragon. These kinds of dragons are known for their poisonous breath and scales."

"Then, the people were poisoned by this dragon?"

"No," Rachel shook her head. "Grim dragons, and dragons in general, don't live close to populated areas. They mainly live in mountains, underwater caves, anyplace where there's no one."

"So how does that explain what's going on here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." She shut her book. "We can talk about this later. Right now, we have to help. And quickly."

Rachel moved to where the basket is. "This medicine is common for treating poisons. Antidotes. We'll need to use your shield to amplify the healing properties as well as giving them medicine for their flu-like symptoms."

"Got it covered." Naofumi reached for a vial and the second he touched it, the liquid in it glowed until it dimmed back to its original color.

"You're a lifesaver," Rachel grabbed the bottle. "Alright, do the same with the vials in here. Mina, help distribute these. Rowan, help one of the nurses bring more of these antidotes. We've got a lot of work to do."

They sprung into action. Rowan and a nurse darted down the stairs. Naofumi touched as many vials as he could and handed them to Mina who then gave them to Rachel and the nurses.

'_Goddamn it, what's going on?'_ Naofumi didn't have time to relay the question or ponder the grim dragon. Each time he handed a vial away, his other hand touched more. When the basket was empty, Rowan and the nurse he went with carried in two baskets, the vials clanking against each other.

"Hurry." Naofumi tossed the empty basket aside. Rowan set his basket on the table while the nurse put hers on the floor.

Naofumi wasted no time in touching the vials and handed them to Rowan and the nurse.

"How's it going?" He asked when Mina came.

"They're responding well to the antidote. But they're not out of the woods yet."

"And Rachel?"

"Doing what she does best. You know," She lingered after she got a handful of vials. "Her job puts her at risk of getting health complications. Yet she's putting herself aside in favor of those who need help. I admire her for that."

Naofumi looked to where Rachel was. She helped an elderly man sit up and gently coax the tip of the vial into his mouth.

'_Mina's right,' _he thought. _'I don't think I could ever do this kind of stuff back home. Medicine wasn't something I was interested in. Being close to so many sick people only makes me want to avoid getting whatever they had. But Rachel, she helps even with all the risks.'_

Not just her, he realized. Rowan risked his life hunting dangerous monsters. Mina took it upon herself to search for her parents at the risk of altering the Black Foxes. And he too risked his life saving people from the waves whether they liked him or not.

This was his life now. A new life he wouldn't take for granted if it meant helping people.

He continued touching vials, all with a newfound appreciation for apothecaries.

* * *

Two hours later, Naofumi, Mina, and Rowan found themselves at the village's alehouse. They had just finished giving the antidotes and when the doctor gave them the clear to go out, they were tired and hungry.

Rachel stayed behind to consult with the doctor and nurses about what happened. Word spread quickly of their job and people started coming out of their houses. Some businesses opened up as well. Rachel had informed them the illness wasn't contagious giving the people a sense of relief and respite knowing the threat was over.

Only it wasn't, at least to Naofumi and his group.

"Just what the hell happened?" He didn't expect Mina or Rowan to have an answer as they were also confused.

"It is strange," Mina says. "It would make sense if a dragon attacked the village but given how reclusive they are, it makes no sense why the people here were poisoned."

"Yeah," Rowan agrees. "I've hunted all kinds of animals and monsters that are capable of poisoning. There's no doubt that it's a grim dragon that did this. But _how_ the villagers got poisoned in the first place is a mystery."

Naofumi glanced at the window where he has a clear view of the hospital. When they had finished, the doctor said they would be under quarantine until their symptoms dissolve. He hoped Rachel was doing OK.

His thoughts were interrupted when their server came with their food and drinks. It was all on the house. He learned that one of the patients is the husband of the alehouse's head chef. She saw them when they entered and offered them a free meal.

When their server left, Naofumi went straight for the ale. It tasted like apples mixed with the alcohol, leaving a bitter taste as he swallowed it.

"What then?" He asks. "Is this something we should leave the knights for? 'Cuz I doubt those bastards care about any small village."

"That's the thing though," Mina says. "This village along with Westbrook were isolated incidents. Nothing major for the knights or even the King to worry about. Unless we can convince them that it was a grim dragon that did this, then maybe they'll do something. Otherwise, we have no proof or explanation as to why the villagers were poisoned."

Great. Naofumi slumped back in his chair defeatedly. "Well, if they aren't going to do anything about it, then what? We risked our health to cure these people and for what? To not be believed without proof?"

"I'm sure the knights and King will believe the villagers," Rowan says. "The problem is the grim dragon itself. We're in the plains. Far, far away from the Teeth."

"The Teeth?" That sounded strange.

"Yeah." Rowan reached into his bag and pulled out their map. He pointed to a large section that consisted of valleys and mountains. The drawing depicted the mountains with curved, sharp ends. Almost like teeth. "The Teeth are where most of the dragons live in. It's a large enough region for dragons to live and hide. The mountains are hard to get through and one wrong step and you'll fall onto rocky spikes. Only Dragons and draconids are capable of traversing through."

"Draconids?" Even more new stuff he's learning about.

"Draconic beastmen," Rowan answered. "They live in the valleys and mountains but mainly deep in the Teeth. If anyone knows about what's going on, it's them. But since there aren't any draconids here, we've got nothing."

The door to the alehouse opened and Rachel ambled her way through the tables.

"Hey." She sounded exhausted as she plopped down next to Naofumi.

"Rough time?" He asks.

"You could say that. Things are under control right now. The only issue is how this poisoning originated."

"I was just telling Naofumi about the Teeth." Rowan points at the map again.

"Yeah, I was thinking about that too. It's not uncommon for dragons to be seen outside of the Teeth but they don't go around attacking villages. At least not the aggressive ones."

"You didn't learn anything new?" Naofumi pressed on.

"No, unfortunately. It would be easier if at least a few people saw a grim dragon flying around. That way we would have proof and try to gain an audience with the King. Except there were no sightings of any dragons. So…" She sighed. "I've got nothing."

Something about this didn't sit right with Naofumi. There was no way what happened in Westbrook and here were incidents.

But _what_ caused this?

"Um, excuse me?"

All four turned to the sudden voice. The nurse who had helped them earlier approached. She fiddled with her fingers nervously like she was caught stealing something. "I'm sorry. I was taking a break when I heard your conversation."

She looked unsure of what she was going to say but continued. "I think I might know how this happened."

"Really?" Naofumi nearly shot out of his seat.

"I believe so. At first, I wasn't sure if what I thought was true. But when you mentioned the Teeth, I remembered something."

"What is it? Tell us everything."

"Well, my sister lives in a mining village not far from the Teeth. One day, a grim dragon had appeared and settled in an area far from the village. My sister would send me letters telling me how scared everyone was. She said the villagers were worried the dragon would kill them. But as the days went by, it didn't try to attack them. So, they just let it be.

"One day, however, the dragon flew away. It was flying low so everyone, including my sister, got a good look at it. One of its hind legs was injured. Scales were missing from it. It came back hours later and then left again. It hasn't been seen since then."

The mystery was starting to make more sense.

The nurse looked at Rachel. "When the dragon first arrived there, I bought myself the most recent updated version of a medical journal. Cost me 5 gold coins but it was worth it in case my sister got sick from the dragon and I had to go there to help. So, I know its scales can be poisonous."

They had their answer. Sort of.

"Let me get this straight," Naofumi says. "This grim dragon had its scales ripped out of it from an injury and a few days later the people here started to get sick. Am I right?"

The nurse nodded.

"It still doesn't explain _how_ the villagers got poisoned."

"Wait," Rowan interrupted. "Dragon scales are very valuable. They can be used to make all kinds of materials. Including weapons. If this grim dragon had its scales stolen from it, and if the villagers started showing signs of poisoning, then that means…"

"Someone poisoned this place!" Rachel exclaims. "It makes sense now."

"Then how did the villagers get sick then?" Mina asks.

Rachel was deep in thought.

"The water supply."

The nurse started to realize what she meant. "You mean someone poisoned the reservoir?"

"Think about it. You have a reservoir a village uses. Take a large number of grim dragon scales, grind them to dust, and toss it in the water. Boom. Mass poisoning."

"Then… oh, Gods! I have to warn the village lord about this!" The nurse ran out of the alehouse, causing the other patrons to look on in confusion.

"If their reservoir is poisoned, how long will it take to purify it?" Rowan asks.

"Depends on how many clerics can come and purify it and the size of the reservoir."

He didn't know where this reservoir was or how big it is. Naofumi could only guess how long it would take for it to be purified from the poison. _If_ it even works. If it doesn't then everyone here would have to move. This village would become a ghost town.

A thought crept in the back of his mind. Whoever did this, they might do it again to a different village. Or poison a city's water supply. It'll be a pandemic if things get out of control.

His gaze fell onto his shield. It was still in the form of the Leaf Shield. From the day he touched the blade of grass so long ago to enhancing medicine, this form was powerful enough to alleviate or cure sicknesses.

Maybe…

He stood. "I have an idea."

Near the doors, an elderly man was nursing a mug. He looked friendly enough. If not, then Naofumi would have to ask someone else. He made his way to the man. The man barely registered him when he set down his mug.

"Sir," Naofumi says. "Listen, do you know where your reservoir is? We must get there. Fast."

The man took a sip of his mug. "I heard you guys talking to that nurse. I may be old but my hearing is still good. The reservoir is outside our village. Go to the entrance then take a left. You'll find our reservoir eventually."

"Thanks. Come on, guys!" He called out to his companions.

He turned to go when the man grabbed him by the arm. Naofumi almost retaliated but froze when the man's eyes peered at his own.

"Listen, I don't know what the hell is going on with you, Shield Hero. But the other Heroes, especially that Spear Hero aren't doing much to help people. Except you. Prove to me that you're willing to help anyone no matter."

He let go of his arm and went back to drinking his mug.

Naofumi could only stare at the man. He was blunt with his words but beneath it, he was sincere.

"I will."

* * *

"What's the plan?" Rowan asks.

After leaving the village, the team followed the direction the old man gave them and after ten minutes, they found the reservoir. It was a circular lake with a pump house on the opposite side from where they were at.

The water reflected the sun's rays. The almost blue water didn't show any signs of tampering, but looks can be deceiving. A clear body of water could be hiding something. And in this case, it was poison.

"Rachel," Naofumi knelt at the water's edge. "You have a spell that can cure poison, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because we're going to use my Leaf Shield and your magic to purify the lake."

The plan formed in his mind earlier when they left the alehouse. He didn't know just how strong his Leaf Shield is in terms of purifying as all it did was enhance any type of grass, herbs, and medicine. But if he could make it work with water and Rachel's magic, then it's worth a shot.

He couldn't think about it if it fails.

"You sure this will work?" Rachel came to kneel beside him. "This kind of poison from a grim dragon can only be cured with medicine."

"Medicine or not, this is our only option." He lets his hand hover over the water's surface. "Here's the plan. I'll dip my shield into the water while you begin your spell. We'll work in tandem. You ready?"

"Ready," Rachel's voice was filled with determination.

"Let's do this."

Naofumi slowly lowered his hand until it was underwater, his Leaf Shield just barely poking out. He concentrated all of his focus on his shield. Then he remembered what Tabitha had said. How everyone was capable of learning magic through mana. If he had been in this world long enough to form a connection with the mana, then he can use that along with his focus.

Closing his eyes, he imagined putting all of his focus and effort onto the shield. He felt a tugging sensation along with a feeling of lightness in his chest. Was this mana?

Beneath the water, his shield began to glow a verdant green.

Rachel extended both of her hands to the shield. A bright green sigil formed over his shield. The sigil glowed brighter as Rachel put all of her magic into the spell.

That's when it happened. The glow from the shield and sigil expanded more into the water. It was almost like how you would dip powdered drink mix into water.

"Amazing," Mina said with awe.

The glow continued to expand until the entire reservoir was glowing a bright green. They continued their purification for a few more minutes before the glow began to dim until it was gone.

"Phew!" Rachel fell back onto her rear. "That took out a lot of mana from me."

Naofumi opened up his menu and looked at his MP. Not only was it half empty, but so was his SP. The combination of his shield's magic and his own took a lot out of him.

"Did it work?" Rowan asks.

"I think so." Naofumi was sure of it. "How long does it take for a grim's dragon poison to take effect?"

"About a minute," Rachel answers. "It's powerful enough to cripple anyone with sickness."

"Time to test it then."

Naofumi cupped his hands in the water and slurped it in. It certainly didn't taste like bottled water, but it didn't taste bad either.

Rachel, Mina, and Rowan waited with bated breath, hoping that Naofumi's plan worked.

When five minutes passed, Naofumi stood and again, checked his menu. No signs of poison. His health remained the same.

It worked.

It actually worked!

He smiled and looked on at his friends. "We did it!"

His gamble paid off. The reservoir was now safe for the village to continue using.

* * *

"I can't thank the four of you enough." The nurse clasped Naofumi's hands, tears almost spilling from her eyes. "I heard the rumors about you, you know. But seeing you help the sick and purifying the lake, you're not the monster everyone says you are. Thank you!"

They had returned from the reservoir and alerted the village lord of what happened. He took to informing the guards to spread the message across the village and by the time it was past lunch, word got around quickly.

Naofumi didn't know how to respond to so much emotion coming from one person. She was almost crying tears of joy.

"I did what I could. I'm glad I was able to do something."

"No need to be humble," Mina says with a smile.

Well, in that case. Naofumi gave a genuine smile to the nurse.

She let go of his hand. "I'm so glad you stopped by. Who knows what would've happened to all of us?"

Naofumi's smile faltered. The issue with the lake is clear. All that's left was the perpetrator.

"Wait. Before you go back to the hospital, there's something we need to discuss."

"What is it?"

"We know the lake was tampered with, that much is obvious. Someone must've passed by here at some point. Can you think of anyone that looked suspicious? Anything helps?"

The mystery was almost done.

"Umm…" The nurse furrowed her eyebrows. "We do get a lot of travelers. Our village often trades with shop owners who use deliverymen to send supplies."

Almost there, they were almost there.

"Wait." The nurse snaps her fingers. "Yes, there was one person that came by a few days ago."

"What did they look like?" Naofumi wasn't sure if he could even find this person, but if the nurse remembers their appearance, it'll help.

"It was a man. I was out on my break going to the alehouse when I spotted him. He wore a red bandana over his head and his sleeves were pulled up with black tattoos on them. I thought he was a traveler but something about him was odd. Like he was scrutinizing the people. I didn't want to be late for eating lunch so I left. When I left the alehouse, he was gone."

A man with a red bandana and tattoos on his arm.

"Thank you. We'll be sure to look into it."

When the nurse leaves, the group huddles together.

"She could be talking about anyone," Rowan points out. "We can't question every man who has arm tattoos. That'll take us forever."

"And he might've taken off his bandana," Mina says. "Whoever this man is, he wasn't exactly conspicuous. Then again, there's nothing to go by other than a bandana and tattoos."

"Great," Rachel huffed an irritated sigh. "Now how the hell are going to find this guy?"

This was a needle in a haystack case. It wouldn't do anyone good if Naofumi reacted the same way as Rachel.

"How about this," he offered. "We'll rest up here and go back to Castle Town tomorrow and try to tell the knights. Other than that, we'll just have to keep an eye out for suspicious men with arm tattoos."

His friends nodded.

They started in the direction of the inn when the nurse calls out to them.

"Sorry!" She pants. She must've run from the hospital. "Sorry. Listen, there's a favor I have to ask you all if that's OK?"

Naofumi looked to his friends and they nodded. "Go on," he says.

"We used up half of our medicine stock to treat the patients. But with all the chaos happening, we're almost out of an ingredient. A moss that grows in a cave not far from here. Could you please get some for us? We'll pay you, of course. We have enough funds to pay adventurers if we need their help."

Though they had enough money, more of it would be good for them in the long run. And, if Naofumi has learned anything from RPGs, caves have monsters in them.

"Yeah. We'll do it."

* * *

A figure stepped over puddles on the ground. Keeping one hand on the wall and an orb of fire in the other, the figure pressed forward. It shouldn't be long before he reaches the spot.

The light from the flame illuminated the path in front of him. He kept his eyes forward while taking the occasional glance to the ground to avoid any small holes. There were no monsters in sight which was good for him. The last thing he needed was to fight and damned monster.

He kept going until he saw a faint glow. He dimmed the flame. He finally found it.

He rounded a corner and stopped. Rocky walls were covered in glowing blue moss.

Perfect.

The man pushed up his sleeves, revealing black tattoos snaking up his arms.

"Time to get to work."


	26. Chapter 25

The cave looked like a gaping mouth with the stalactites near the entrance. As scary as it looked, Naofumi was more than ready to go in.

"So," he turned to his companions. "Any of you have experiences with caves?"

"None for me, sadly," Mina said.

"Eh, sometimes I go in them to look for moss and bugs," Rachel replied.

Rowan feebly raised his hand. "Gareth and I sometimes hunt monsters in all kinds of caves. And I can sense a lot of spiders in there. They can guide us while I take the lead."

"Sounds good." Naofumi peered into the cave. "Rachel, can you use your fire magic to light the way?"

She cracked her knuckles. "I've got a better solution."

She held out a hand, the fire sigil materialized, and balls of fire popped out until there were six. They hung in the air close to them. Naofumi reached out to one and it moved in tandem with his hand.

"Wow. This is…"

"Neat, huh?" Rachel smiled proudly. "Any time I go into a cave for ingredients, I use this to give me enough light. And they come in handy if a monster decides to attack me."

Mina also reached out for one and gently cupped it in her hands. "It's so warm, but it isn't as hot as I expected it to be."

"That's because I control how hot they can be. Since we're a group of four, I don't want to burn you guys if they're too hot."

"This is kind of fun!" Rowan had two of them in his hands, and he tossed them in the air and they gently floated back down.

Naofumi watched with some glee. Their mission to get the moss would be an easy one. The village lord told them the cave, which was near the reservoir, was free of any monsters and the last of the hibernating bears left about a month ago. All they had to worry about were bats and bugs. Which wouldn't be an issue except he had to remind himself that these were no ordinary bats and bugs. It was a quick get in and get out kind of mission. If they get done early, they can enjoy the rest of the day at the alehouse eating to their heart's content.

"Let's go."

The ball of flames went in first, illuminating their path as they followed. The narrow entrance expanded the further they went in and soon, Naofumi could smell water.

"The moss shouldn't be that far," Rowan said from the front. "If there's a large body of water in a cave, most surfaces should have moss."

"Should?" Naofumi questioned.

"There are pockets of caves that are perfect for moss growth. Also, watch your step, Naofumi."

He was mid-way to taking his next step when he stopped. A puddle was right in front of him, a deep puddle at that.

"Woah. Thanks for that." He didn't see it even with the light.

"No problem. Since I became a hunter, I notice a lot of things most people don't. No matter the environment we are in, we keep an eye on everything. That's how I was able to notice the puddle without looking down."

Naofumi places a hand on the rocky wall as a guide while walking. "This is my first time being in a cave. I've always wanted to go to one, just not like this."

"You didn't live near any caves?" Rachel asked.

"Well, there are caves, just more out in nature where there's hardly any people or in national parks. I lived close to the city, so anything outside of that is still new to me. Aside from going to the countryside for a school trip, I preferred to be in my room."

"A hermit." Mina points out.

"Not really." Well, she isn't wrong. How could he explain to them about being an almost shut-in otaku? "I still went to school and the library."

"The more I hear about your world, the more intrigued I am. Is it that different than here?" Mina asks.

"_Way_ different." It would take hours to explain how his world was ten times more advanced. That was for another day.

The more they walked, the more the tunnel grew wider until they reached a giant room with a small lake in the center. Holes were scattered throughout the room leading to who knows where. Water dripped from high above, causing little ripples in the lake.

Rachel summoned more balls of flame, brightening the room. "We reached the center. Now all we gotta do is find the moss."

Close to the lake were rocks jutting out from a wall near them. Naofumi stepped closer and he saw dark blue-green moss.

"Is this it?"

Rachel went over and examined the moss. "Yep. This is the one they were talking about." She took a good look around the room. "There are plenty here but if we want more, we have to go in one of those tunnels. For now, let's start here."

She pulled out thick brown gloves from her satchel as well as several large glass containers. One day, Naofumi will have to look into that satchel to see how deep it was.

Gloves fastened, Rachel scooped the moss in handfuls and deposited them in the containers. Four of the seven were full of moss.

"Just three more and we're good."

Naofumi felt more confident with this mission. No monsters, no bandits, no Motoyasu, or that bitch Malty. He hopes more missions would be like this.

"I'll look to see which tunnel has more moss." Rowan took in a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Naofumi couldn't imagine how it is being a beastmaster; being able to connect to the mind of animals and see through their eyes, feel their emotions.

"While he's doing that," he turned his attention to the girls. "Do you two need to go anywhere after this?"

"Not really." Rachel shook her head.

"I do recall there being a hot spring not far from here. We could go there once we're done here," Mina says.

Hot springs? That's perfect!

"Great," Naofumi started, "we'll head there to rest and-"

Rowan cut him off with a swift movement of his arm.

"What is-"

Rowan placed a finger in front of his nose, telling him to be quiet. The air became tense with the hunter's serious expression.

"What?" Naofumi whispered.

"Someone's here," Rowan replied.

"Someone?" Mina asked.

"I was able to connect to a spider in one of those tunnels. The walls there are covered with the moss. And someone is burning them."

"What!" Rachel almost shouts. "Burning?!"

"Yes. It's a man and he's using fire magic. He hasn't heard us so we have the advantage. If he continues to do that, there won't be enough moss for the villagers."

If someone was burning the moss, whoever they are, Naofumi wasn't going to let them go easy.

"Where?"

Rowan pointed to a tunnel with a much larger entrance. "That tunnel goes into a large room. The man only burned a small section, but we have to be fast. We just need to keep quiet." He drew out his bow and an arrow. "Something tells me he's not going down without a fight."

So much for a short mission. No. He shouldn't complain. This was serious. If someone was burning the moss, then whoever they were, they need to be taken down. Fast.

"Lead the way."

Rowan reminded them quietly to make as little noise as possible. Quick on your feet but as quiet as a mouse. A mantra he made sure they would follow.

The tunnel curved the straighten then curved again. Soon, Naofumi started to smell something. Like grass burning. They were getting close.

This man, whoever he is, is intent on burning the moss. But for what?

They rounded a corner when Rowan halted them.

"Take a peek," he whispered.

Cautiously, the four of them poked their heads from the corner and there in his villainous glory, a man was setting fire to a portion of a moss-covered wall. His arm was extended, revealing black tattoos snaking up his arms. Sticking out from his pocket was a red bandana.

"It's him," Naofumi whispered. "The guy the nurse told us about."

"If he's burning the wall," Mina starts, "then it's safe to assume he's responsible for the mass poisoning?"

"No doubt about it," Rachel replied. "And he's making sure they don't get cured by burning the moss. But why?"

"Only one way to find out." Naofumi straightened and made himself visible. "Hey, fuck face!"

The man startled, the flame in his hand disappearing. "What the-" He spun, revealing a sword tied to his hip. He unsheathed the sword and took an offensive stance. "Who the fuck are you?!"

"It doesn't matter who I am. More importantly, you're the one who poisoned the village's water supply." From behind him, his companions revealed themselves, weapons ready.

"Tch," the man scoffed. "Guess you figured it out. Well shit. And here I thought I was fast enough to get this over with. Guess I was wrong."

"You're damn right you're wrong!" Rachel glares at the man. "Just what the fuck are you doing?"

"I don't gotta explain myself to a cunt like you," the man spits.

Rachel's grip on her ax tightened.

"There's no use in denying," Mina says. "A witness from the village saw you just a few days ago. Play dumb all you want. It's clear you're the mastermind."

"Wow. Beautiful and smart. Congrats, bitch. You want a medal or somethin'?"

"How about you shut your mouth!" Naofumi retorts. "You insult them, you insult me."

The man stares at him before his gaze shifts to his shield.

"Ah." The man smirks. "The Shield Hero. You're the one that fucked that princess, didn't you? Or so they say. What's a lowlife shit like yourself helping out a village?"

'_You're the piece of shit!'_ "Look who's talking."

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment," the man mocks. "I don't gotta explain myself to either of ya. Unless you wanna get cut."

If his shield could let him do unspeakable things to the man, he wished it would let him. His physical and elemental attacks were piss poor, whereas the others could hold their own offensively. He was their shield, and they were his weapons.

Not that he has anything to worry about. With all the new upgrades his shield got, he was prepared to throw anything at the man.

Speaking of…

Naofumi focused intently on the man and his stats popped up.

**Name: Ryder **

**Class: Trickster**

Trickster? The hell kind of class is that? And what kind of tricks does he have?

Class or no class, he looked further at the man's – Ryder – stats.

**LV: 43**

**HP: 2,745**

**MP: 221**

**PHYS ATK: 395**

**ELEM ATK: 267**

**PHYS DEF: 250**

**ELEM DEF: 221**

**SPEED: 324**

**CRITICAL: 187**

He's fast on his feet though not as quickly as Mina and has a scary high physical attack. They didn't have to worry about his elemental attack. And his HP was no joke. The only thing that bothered Naofumi was the Trickster class.

"He's a Trickster," he muttered low enough for his friends to hear.

Beside him, Rowan tensed. "Damn."

"Trickster or not, he's not getting away with this," Rachel says.

"What you guys muttering about?" Ryder teased. "Let me guess, you saw my class, Shield Hero? Neat, huh? How about I give you a demonstration."

As quick as lightning, Ryder summoned a ball of light, blinding them all.

"Ahh!" Naofumi covered his eyes but that did little to block the intense brightness.

The blinding light flickered then was gone. He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to get rid of the blurriness. He could barely make out Ryder's form at the center of the room. His vision began clearing and once it did, he blinked again to see if what in front of him was real.

There were five complete identical Ryders. It was like Mina's illusion magic.

"Five of us versus four of you," Ryder says, "I like those kinds of odds. Let's get this over with."

Ryder swiftly raised his arm and the five of them disappeared in white light.

"Scatter!" Rowan yelled. "The more space we have, the more we can land hits!"

They followed his command, running to different parts of the large room. The white lights came back in other parts of the cave. The Ryders appeared and attacked them.

Naofumi brought up his shield to deflect the sword. It was like getting pushed by a small child. His physical defense surpassed well beyond Ryder's attack stat.

"I won't let a little shit like you get in my way," Ryder growled. "I don't care if you're supposed to protect us. The less of you wannabe heroes, the better!" He jumped back and lunged at breakneck speed.

Naofumi barely had enough time to dodge the attack, the tip of the sword grazing his armor.

Two can play at that game.

"Two-Headed Black Dog Shield!" His shield transformed, the two ravenous dogs growled and bared their teeth at Ryder.

One dog clamped down on Ryder's arm, the one without the sword. He bit back a yell and with his other arm, he raised his sword and slashed at the neck. It was a clean-cut, the head plopping to the ground, writing until it disappeared in a puff of smoke, reappearing back on Naofumi's shield.

"You'll have to do better than that." Ryder blinked out of sight in the same white light.

Naofumi kept his guard up, bouncing on the balls of his feet, ready to jump out of the way at any given moment.

He looked to his friends as they fought off the Ryders. Rachel swung her ax only to have her Ryder disappear. Mina dodged a flurry of attacks from two Ryders. Rowan launched an arrow at his Ryder, hitting him in his left shoulder. Two spiders then jumped from the ceiling, wrapping their legs around him, pinning his arms to his side. They bit down on him, and just like the dog head, this Ryder disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"You have to strike them hard," Rowan instructed. "His illusion magic is more potent and-"

"Behind you!" Naofumi shouted.

Rowan didn't turn around in time as a new Ryder pulled up his fur shawl and wrapped around his head, tying a knot at the top. Rowan flailed, dropping his bow and arrow as he tried to undo the knot only to have Ryder push him down.

The two spiders jumped at him but Ryder sidestepped out of the way. He was too fast for them. Too fast, even for Rowan.

The illusion Ryder raised his sword.

'_NO!'_

Naofumi's shield changed into a triangle with animal fur and was dotted with several circles. "Poison Dart Shield!"

Rounds of needles shot out of the shield, all of them hitting Ryder. The illusion disappeared just as Rowan undid the knot.

"You OK?" Naofumi rushed up to him and pulled him to his feet.

"I'm good. His illusions are stronger than I imagined."

"How do we stop him?"

"We need to find the real one. If we get him, then he can't create more illusions."

Easier said than done. They were all identical down to the tattoos. Nothing stood out from each illusion.

No. That wasn't true. Naofumi noticed that the illusions didn't react to pain. Not when Rachel hit one illusion with her ax or the one that got hit by Rowan's arrow. The only one that showed any kind of pain was the Ryder he used the Two-Headed Black Dog Shield on. It left a pretty good bite mark on his upper forearm.

Two more Ryders suddenly appeared. Rowan wasted no time ordering his spiders to attack them. With the two illusions distracted, Naofumi quickly spun to see if there was one Ryder that wasn't in the fray.

His friends kept the illusions at bay, each one disappearing and reappearing again. One charged at him but he chanced his shield to the Crystal Shield and impaled the illusion.

Then, that's when he saw _him._

A Ryder was throwing himself at Mina, the dancer dodging each swift strike, each one coming close to cutting her. There, on his upper right forearm were fresh bite marks.

Now was his only chance.

"Change shield! Lunar Wolf Shield!"

The shield glowed, morphing into a dark blue steel with the head of a wolf. It's frosted green fur glowed with magic.

Rowan was the first to spot it. "Wait. That's…"

It was the magic wolf Legrand had used to attack them. When their battle was done, Naofumi fur from the wolf and that night, while everyone was asleep, he added the fur to his shield, gaining the Lunar Wolf Shield.

Perfect for a situation like this.

When Mina jumped back, giving herself as much distance from Ryder, Naofumi took the opportunity.

"Cover your ears!" he shouted.

There was a moment of confused hesitation but they put their hands over their ears. Ryder could only look on in confusion as Naofumi pointed the wolf's head straight at the trickster

"Lunar Howl!"

The wolf took in a deep breath and let out an unearthly loud howl. Naofumi's body shook from the intense vibration from the howl, nearly crumpling to his knees but he forced himself to stand.

It was too late for Ryder to cover his ears as he collapsed, screaming while his illusions disappeared.

The wolf ceases its howling. Ryder trembled as he stood. Naofumi wasn't going to let this bastard get the upper hand.

"Change Shield! Poison Dart Shield!"

Ryder was pricked by several sharp needles, inflicting him with a poison status.

"Change Shield! Rope Shield!"

Rope shot out of the shield, ensnaring Ryder in a tight grip.

He struggled against the bindings but to no avail. He was still weak from the effects of the wolf's howl and stopped resisting.

"Damn it."

"Now that you can't do your little tricks, it's time you talk." Naofumi went and kneeled, meeting Ryder straight in the eyes. "Why did you poison the reservoir?"

"I ain't telling you shit, boy," Ryder spat. "What makes you think I'll tell you or the knights anything?"

"Oh, I won't do anything. But he will." Naofumi points to Rowan.

The hunter nodded and reached into his shawl, grabbing two spiders and setting them down. Both were black widows.

Ryder, seeing the spiders, tried to scoot away. "Wait! You're seriously going to kill me?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Unless you tell us why you did what you did."

The spiders advanced on Ryder, crawling over his legs and the rope until they stopped at his neck. He thrashed and rolled, but the spiders remained in place, unaffected by the man's movement.

"One bite from those two, and you'll be dead in hours." Naofumi's voice stopped Ryder from moving. "Let me make this clear. I'm tired of people like you calling me names for something I didn't do. I hate it. Hate everything about this. You think I'm shit? Well, you're no different than me if you went out of your way to harm innocent people. All I have to do is tell him to command those spiders to bite you and it'll be the end of you. So, unless you want to live, start talking."

Naofumi could see sweat forming at Ryder's forehead. From panic, no doubt. Who wouldn't when they have two deadly spiders on them?

Ryder let out an exhausted breath. "Fine."

The spiders remained where they were as he started talking. "I was only told to poison the lake and burn the moss that was used for medicine."

"And who told you this?" Rachel asks.

"My boss. He gave me the orders."

"What else is there?" Mina asks.

"That's all."

"Really?" Naofumi raised an eyebrow. "Remember, two black widows."

"Wait!" Ryder shouted. "Th-there's more!"

"Tell us how you poisoned the water supply. The scales from a grim dragon caused the sickness. A nurse told us there was one near the mountains that was missing some scales. Was that you?"

No," Ryder shook his head. "That was another group. They knew what a grim dragon's scales could do and they got it from that dragon. They gave it to my boss and my boss passed it to me. I was only told to dump the scales in the reservoir and that was it."

His story was adding up. Nothing about it gave any indication he was lying. Then again, Naofumi knew just how easy it was for someone to lie.

"Wait," Rachel says. "There's something about this that's been bothering me. And I think he might hold the answer."

"What answer?" Naofumi asks.

"What happened in Westbrook with the frost sickness. Remember how I said it only appears in winter? It kept bugging me but I think I'm starting to understand."

She turned her attention to Ryder. "It was you or your group. You're the ones that spread the frost sickness at Westbrook." It wasn't a question so much as an accusation.

Ryder was silent, not daring to meet her in the eyes. Finally, he sighed. "Yes. We had someone in our group go to the northlands and get sick. He then went to the village and infected the people. We cured him after he was done."

"Why on earth would you do something like that?" Mina asks. "You're putting innocent lives at risk, and for what? Money? Or are all of you sick bastards who enjoy watching people suffer?"

When Ryder didn't answer, Naofumi huffed in annoyance.

"Rowan, do it."

"No!" Ryder shook his head. "It was because we wanted to summon the Peacock Dragon!"

Naofumi could only stare back in bewilderment. They wanted to summon a dragon? A powerful one at that. And for what? What does one do with a dragon?

"Now it makes sense," Rachel says.

"What do you mean?" Rowan asks.

"Think about it. We have two villages that were struck with mysterious illnesses. If this asshole and his friends were to do this with other villages, it'd look like there's an epidemic of all kinds of diseases. The Peacock Dragon only appears when there's an overwhelmingly amount of people sick."

She turns back to Ryder. "Why, though?"

"His scales," Ryder answers. "Our leader wants to get the scales from the dragon and profit from it. Says that people – commoners and nobles – will pay top coin and talent for a cure-all medicine."

"Fucking bastard," Rachel says. "You're OK with people getting sick and possibly dying just for money? You're fucking pathetic."

Naofumi could only glare at Ryder. He wasn't worth the insults that were on the tip of his tongue. He'll save that for another day. Right now, they need to get this bastard out of here and back to the village. They'll handle him.

* * *

The moon's light shone through the window blinds of their room at the inn, and Naofumi watched it, wondering if the moon had all the answers he was looking for. If it was like those tales said it was, a mother watching over their child.

They had dropped off Ryder at the village's jail, and Rachel dropped off the moss at the hospital. They were pain 75 gold coins. Naofumi let Rachel handle the money. After what happened in the cave, he was exhausted to try and count the money.

He laid in bed while Rachel paced the room, muttering to herself. Naofumi noticed how stressed she was when they returned.

"This is all kinds of messed up," she says. "They have to be out of their minds if they think they can summon the dragon by spreading diseases."

"Is it possible, though?" Rowan asked from his bed.

"I honestly have no clue," Rachel shook her head. "It's not as simple as they make it out to be. They would have to spread so many illnesses to lots of villages and cities if they even want to get the attention of the Peacock Dragon."

"Calm down, Rachel," Mina soothed. "If what they're hoping to accomplish comes true, then we have to alert the knights of what's going on. Maybe the King too since the Queen is gone at the moment."

"I know. It just makes me pissed that those assholes don't give two flying fucks about people dying."

She was never this angry, Naofumi notices. He has seen her angry but this was on a different level. People's lives were at risk. He wonders if this has anything to do with her being an apothecary, someone who is meant to help people.

No, that wasn't it. It wasn't because she was duty-bound because of her job. It was because she cared. Under that gruff exterior, there's a thoughtful, caring person who will go out of her way to help aid the sick. It's why she does what she does. She wouldn't be a good apothecary if she didn't care.

Then that leaves him. He helped Lute Village and Westbrook. He helped take down a corrupt captain and now, he stopped a criminal responsible for mass poisoning. He did it because in the end, it was the right thing to do. As much as he hates this world for what it did to him, he wouldn't be a good hero – a good person – if he let people die knowing he has the power to save them.

He looked at his shield. The day he arrived here, he was happy to learn he would be a hero like in those anime and light novels. Out of all the worlds he had to be isekai-ed in, it had to be one where the hero was seen as a villain.

Day in and day out random people taunted him, was on the receiving end of glares, all thanks to that Malty, that Bitch.

Then he met Rachel. Then Mina and Rowan. Three people who were indifferent to who he was and the rumors about him. They joined him, of all people, to travel with.

He didn't just owe it to the people of this world to help them in their time of need, he owed it to help his friends in their endeavors. For Mina, it was to find her parents. For Rowan, it was to find Gareth. And now, for Rachel, it was to find the bastards responsible for the illnesses.

He won't let their goals go unfinished.

He stood, the sudden movement getting the attention of his friends.

"Look," he tried not to sound nervous. He never was one for public speaking. "I know I can't do much other than defend you guys, but you all helped me when I needed it. And now, I want to help you each. So, whatever your goals are, I'll be there help. Just like you all were there for me."

He then looked to Rachel. "Remember when you first joined me? It was because you thought you could sell more medicine? Well, it seems like you need help catching these guys.

"The same goes for you two," he says to Mina and Rowan. "Whatever comes our way, I'll do my best to help."

He waited for some kind of affirmation from them.

"You are a sweet boy," Mina says. "Never did I expect such a speech from someone closed off to other people. I haven't properly thanked you for letting me join your party. So, thank you. I know you'll help me find my parents."

"The same goes for me," Rowan says. "I-I never really believed all those bad things about you. I don't know how to explain it, but when I'm with you, I have more faith in finding Gareth. So um… I'll help you as well." He finishes with a blush.

"Now you got me feeling sappy," Rachel laughs. "You've grown on me these last few weeks. I can honestly say that I do trust you. Come hell or high water, I know I can count on you."

A warm feeling he couldn't put into words spread through his body. He liked this feeling. He hoped it would never go away.

"Thanks."

"Anyway," Mina get up from her bed. "We can discuss more of what we each have to do tomorrow. Right now, I want a nice, hot bath. Thank the Gods this inn has plumbing."

"Me too," Rachel says. "You go first while I check my stock."

"I'll start making marks on the map," Rowan says.

As they each went about their task, Naofumi looked on with some pride. They complimented each other well.

They weren't just party members. They're friends he could trust. Friends who would never betray him.

Tomorrow is a new day for them. Who knows what could happen?

Before, he dreaded what was to come.

Now, he was ready.


End file.
